ECHO

ECHO (Empowering Children with Hope and Opportunity) is a comprehensive counseling and social emotional learning program designed to remove non-academic barriers to learning for students in grades K-12. The University of Dayton developed this model for area Catholic schools, and CSSMV is partnering with UD to use the model in rural public schools. 

ECHO includes a social and emotional learning curriculum, in-school counseling sessions for referred students, professional development for teachers, and case management services for at-risk families.

We are currently providing ECHO school-based counseling in two public school districts in Shelby County — Houston and Russia Schools. We are also exploring the possibility of expanding the services to other area schools.

During the last school year, ECHO touched the lives of 237 children in their classrooms, and our counselors saw over 40 students for one-on-one sessions. Some of those students continued therapy through the summer at our office in Sidney.

“The ECHO program enables us to teach students necessary skills that will impact them all through life,” said Erin Meyer, Northern Office Assistant Director. “These skills include listening, empathy, emotion management, and problem solving. In addition, we are providing mental health counseling for students who need extra support.”