Spotlight on Julianne Umbarger, Bloomfield Hills Schools Mental Health Specialist
Bloomfield Hills Schools prioritizes the health and wellness of our student body, and this priority is evident with the establishment of our School Mental Health Specialist role, filled by Julianne Umbarger. Umbarger has established a wide variety of training, programs, presentations, and writings to help support students and staff at a district-wide level.
The School Mental Health Specialist plays an important role in school safety. As Umbarger explained, “The better-equipped our front-line staff (teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, hall monitors) are to promote mental wellness in the classroom, the better regulated, connected, and invested our students will be in contributing toward a safe school community. And, the better-equipped our front-line staff are to recognize signs and symptoms of emotional distress, the sooner we can connect students to supportive adults who can offer the help they may need, which promotes a safe school environment.”
The mental health specialist position is responsible for training staff on preventative restorative practices, oversees the district-wide therapy dog program, and supports initiatives at BHHS like Communication Camp, Student Senate, Bird Houses, and the Youth Mental Health First Aid training.
Umbarger notes, “Compassion and empathy are key factors in making others feel safe and as though they belong in our schools. Leading with these in mind will help us all feel that way!”