THRIVE: School Mental Health
Call or text 9-8-8 and get immediately connected to help 24 hours a day.
PUSD's Student Wellness and Support Services houses two unique internal mental health departments dedicated to providing mental health services to our student community. PUSD Mental Health Services and THRIVE: School Mental Health aim to provide a spectrum of comprehensive, integrated, culturally sensitive services that support the academic achievements of PUSD students by addressing mental, social, and emotional barriers. Learn more about both further down the page.
Click here to download our referral form | Click here for more important links
With the launch of the new nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, anyone can call or text 9-8-8 and get immediately connected to help 24 hours a day. Callers and texters will speak with trained counselors who will find the least invasive, most relevant, and most effective care plan for their crisis. If you have questions about the lifeline, visit 988lifeline.org today.
Lara Choulakian, LCSW
Manager, THRIVE: School Mental Health
351 S. Hudson Avenue Room 208
Pasadena, CA 91109
(626) 396-3600 x 88233
Services Provided
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Attendance support
- Intensive case management
- Crisis intervention services
- District-wide mental health crisis planning, training, and support
- School emotional support to school sites
- Linking to community resources and agencies
- Clinical expertise and knowledge during IEP and SST meetings, as requested
Eligibility
- No Insurance (Uninsured)
- Private Insurance
How to Refer
- Contact Lara Choulakian, Manager of THRIVE: School Mental Health at (626) 396-3600 x 88233 or at choulakian.lara@pusd.us
Erica Villalpando, LCSW
Manager, PUSD Mental Health Services
1520 N. Raymond Avenue Bldg 7
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 396-5920 x 10998
Services Provided
- Individual therapy provided at school, community, phone, or virtual
- Family therapy
- Collateral parent / caregiver sessions
- Targeted case management
- Crisis intervention
- Community outreach services
- Prevention and early intervention services
- Medication support
- Behavioral support
Eligibility
- Children and adolescents 5-21 years of age enrolled in PUSD and/or living in the Pasadena area
- Must have Medi-Cal Insurance
How to Refer
- Contact Erica Villalpando, Manager of PUSD Mental Health Services at (626) 396-5920 or mentalhealth@pusd.us
Lara Choulakian, LCSW
Manager, Mental Health Program
626.396.3600 ext. 88233
Edith Ballard, LCSW
Supervisor, Clinical Social Worker
ballard.edith@pusd.us
Luisana Marquez, LCSW
Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
marquez.luisana@pusd.us
Mari Martin, LCSW
Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
martin.mari@pusd.us
THRIVE School Mental Health AND PUSD Mental Health Services provide services at the following school sites:
Blair, McKinley, Don Benito, Eliot, Field, Jackson, Longfellow, Madison, Marshall, Norma Coombs, Pasadena High School, San Rafael, Sierra Madre Elementary, Sierra Madre Middle School, Washington STEM Elementary, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, Willard
PUSD Mental Health Consortium
The PUSD Mental Health Consortium is a partnership of all school-based mental health programs servicing the district. Our consortium partner agencies primarily provide services to students and families insured by Medi-Cal. Please locate your school below to identify the agency that provides mental health services at your school site.
D'Veal Family and Youth Services
(626) 296-8900
Altadena Arts Magnet, John Muir High School
Five Acres
(626) 798-6793
Octavia E. Butler Magnet, Washington ES STEM
Foothill Family
(626) 993-3000
Eliot Arts Magnet, Hamilton Elementary, Willard Elementary, Marshall Secondary School
Sycamores
(844) 222-2377
Longfellow, Madison Elementary, Pasadena High School, Webster
Hillsides
(323) 254-2274
Secondary provider at Altadena Arts Magnet, Tertiary provider at Blair, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, and Washington STEM Elementary
Pacific Clinics
(877) 722-2737
Jackson Elementary, Rose City High School
* Young & Healthy can connect you to free mental health care through volunteer mental health professionals, call (626) 795-5166 or visit https://yhpasadena.org/
Social Work Intern Program
Student Wellness and Support Services Mental Health Department works in partnership with Master of Social Work (MSW) interns from University of Southern California (USC), Azusa Pacific University (APU), California State University, Northridge (CSUN), California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). MSW interns receive supervised training involving individual, group, and family therapy, intake assessment, attendance support, intensive case management, and crisis intervention. In addition, interns receive training in program development, outreach skills, and various specialized therapeutic skills involving students.
2023-24 Master of Social Work Interns
Christina Reynolds, Corinne Wadley, Isabela Galvez, Junjia Gu, Nelson Mejia-Gonzalez, Ryan Witherspoon, Tammy Han
THRIVE School Mental Health AND PUSD Mental Health Services provide services at the following school sites:
Blair, McKinley, Don Benito, Eliot, Field, Jackson, Longfellow, Madison, Marshall, Norma Coombs, Pasadena High School, San Rafael, Sierra Madre Elementary, Sierra Madre Middle School, Washington STEM Elementary, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, Willard
PUSD Mental Health Consortium
The PUSD Mental Health Consortium is a partnership of all school-based mental health programs servicing the district. Our consortium partner agencies primarily provide services to students and families insured by Medi-Cal. Please locate your school below to identify the agency that provides mental health services at your school site.
D'Veal Family and Youth Services
(626) 296-8900
Altadena Arts Magnet, John Muir High School
Five Acres
(626) 798-6793
Octavia E. Butler Magnet, Washington ES STEM
Foothill Family
(626) 993-3000
Eliot Arts Magnet, Hamilton Elementary, Willard Elementary, Marshall Secondary School
Sycamores
(844) 222-2377
Longfellow, Madison Elementary, Pasadena High School, Webster
Hillsides
(323) 254-2274
Secondary provider at Altadena Arts Magnet, Tertiary provider at Blair, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, and Washington STEM Elementary
Pacific Clinics
(877) 722-2737
Jackson Elementary, Rose City High School
* Young & Healthy can connect you to free mental health care through volunteer mental health professionals, call (626) 795-5166 or visit https://yhpasadena.org/
Social Work Intern Program
Student Wellness and Support Services Mental Health Department works in partnership with Master of Social Work (MSW) interns from University of Southern California (USC), Azusa Pacific University (APU), California State University, Northridge (CSUN), California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). MSW interns receive supervised training involving individual, group, and family therapy, intake assessment, attendance support, intensive case management, and crisis intervention. In addition, interns receive training in program development, outreach skills, and various specialized therapeutic skills involving students.
2023-24 Master of Social Work Interns
Christina Reynolds, Corinne Wadley, Isabela Galvez, Junjia Gu, Nelson Mejia-Gonzalez, Ryan Witherspoon, Tammy Han