Kimberly High School Partners with Family Health Services to Bring On-Campus Mental Health Therapy to Idaho Students
Students at Kimberly High School in Idaho now have access to professional mental health therapy without leaving school grounds, thanks to a partnership between the Kimberly School District and Family Health Services that has been expanding services in recent years.
For many students balancing academics, athletics, dual-enrollment college courses, and the pressures of daily life, finding time — and transportation — to access outside mental health care has long been a barrier. School officials say the on-campus program is designed to eliminate those obstacles and connect students with consistent, professional support.
A Partnership Built on Closing the Gaps
The program traces its roots to roughly six years ago, when the Kimberly School District used an AWARE Grant to bring on-campus mental health services to students through Family Health Services. Today, a school-based therapist serves students at both the middle school and high school levels, conducting 45-minute therapy sessions during the school day with parental permission.
High School Counselor Jolene Nannini said the program addresses a well-documented shortage of mental health providers in the region. “Getting a child into a counselor is really hard just because there’s not enough counselors — there are months-long waiting lists to get them in,” Nannini said in remarks reported by KMVT. “And we want to approach it so that the children aren’t waiting to get the help they need.”
Nannini emphasized the practical benefit for families across the Magic Valley. “Having that person on staff really gives parents the option to send their child to a clinician to get the help they need and not have to make an appointment, drive to Twin Falls,” she said.
The referral process is designed to be accessible. Parents can initiate services themselves or work through school staff, with therapy tailored to each individual student’s needs. No student receives services without parental consent.
Consistent Therapy, Not Just Crisis Response
Iain Laird, a therapist with Family Health Services, said the school-based model fills a critical gap between crisis intervention — typically handled by school counselors — and ongoing, structured mental health care.
“Having this as a resource that’s available — it’s all for the student’s benefit because you’re just going to need different levels of care,” Laird said in remarks reported by KMVT.
Laird noted that the therapy sessions are focused on building long-term skills and resilience. “It helps them develop coping mechanisms. It helps them develop organizational skills. It helps them overcome whatever stress they’ve been going through,” he said.
The distinction between a school counselor’s role and an on-site clinician’s role is an important one, Laird explained. School counselors frequently deal with immediate student needs, scheduling, and academic planning, while the embedded therapist can maintain consistent, ongoing sessions that build a therapeutic relationship over time.
That consistency is considered central to the program’s effectiveness. Rather than routing students through an outside appointment system with months-long waits, the school-based model allows intervention to happen in a familiar setting — often making it easier for students to participate and engage.
The program also reflects a broader recognition among Idaho educators and parents that supporting student wellbeing is fundamental to academic performance and long-term success. Kimberly’s model — grant-funded, family-centered, and rooted in local partnership — stands as a practical example of how smaller Idaho school districts can deliver meaningful services without expanding government bureaucracy.
Family Health Services operates across the Magic Valley region, and the organization’s partnership with Kimberly schools represents the kind of community-level collaboration that can produce real results for families who might otherwise fall through the cracks of an overburdened public health system.
For Twin Falls County families interested in similar resources, the College of Southern Idaho’s CALS program and other regional organizations continue to provide community-based support across Magic Valley.
What Comes Next
The Kimberly School District has not announced formal plans to expand the program, but school officials indicate that services through Family Health Services will continue at both the middle school and high school levels. Parents interested in accessing the program for their child are encouraged to contact Kimberly High School counseling staff directly to begin the referral process. As demand for youth mental health services continues to grow statewide, the Kimberly model may offer a replicable framework for other rural Idaho districts facing similar provider shortages.