Fairport students given access to mental health help via onsite clinic

Ketsia Rodriguez
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Hallway at the Minerva DeLand school

In any given classroom of 25 kids, five of them will need help with mental health issues.

So not surprisingly, educators are increasingly asked to provide support to students that are experiencing learning difficulties due to their social and emotional health.

In Fairport, the Central School District in partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), specializing in Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness, have come up with a different way of providing mental health services to students and their families within their own district.

The program is called Expanded School Mental Health (ESMH) where community health providers are supporting school efforts in promoting student’s emotional and behavioral health through training and an onsite clinic. 

Expanded School Mental Health Model

Here's what you need to know.

How does it work?

The alliance, named FairStart, provides staff with the training required to handle students with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. The second component of FairStart is a satellite URMC outpatient clinic located at the Minerva Deland School.

The clinic is open four times a week to Fairport students and their families.

URMC satellite clinic room at Minerva DeLand school.

Why is it different to other services?

The focus of FairStart is clinical care and increasing the capacity of districts and educators to address mental health needs.

Melissa Heatly, a Clinical Psychologist at UR Medicine manages FairStart and similar programs. “We train educators and school staff on how to think about mental health challenges differently, on how to address challenges when they arise, and how to approach and refer kids if that’s needed.”

Deb Myles, the Director of Student Services at FCSD says the clinic has been helpful in providing an alternative to going to the city.

“Fairport families now have help that is closer to home.”

Brochure for mental health at FCSD.

Why it matters?

“When kids are functioning better, they’re learning better. It’s hard to learn when you are worried about what you’re going to eat that night, worried about your family when you’re too anxious or depressed to study. So, if we address those social and emotional needs proactively we are also helping kids learn.”, says Heatly. 

Who is using it?

Partnerships between the URMC exist between different school districts to provide some aspect of ESMH support including: Pittsford Central School District, Wheatland Chili, Churchville Chili, and several charter schools. 

Limitations and expansion? 

Since FairStart is a relatively new program in Fairport,  there are not as many community ties for the school as there are in some other communities and states.

The help FairStart is providing is limited to the suburb, however efforts could be replicated in urban communities such as Rochester.  


Measures the counselor to student ratio within the Fairport Central School District.







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