Consultation
Schools and districts
The challenge: Supporting our youth's mental health
- Growing Needs: An alarming number of children face mental health challenges, yet lack adequate support.
- Daily Impact: Teachers and school leaders regularly witness the effects of untreated mental health conditions and trauma.
- Barriers to Education: Social determinants such as marginalization, racism, and poverty hinder children’s full engagement in their education.
- Rising Disability: Mental health issues are the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes among young people. [1]
- Pandemic Exacerbation: Since COVID-19, psychological distress in young people has surged, particularly among the most vulnerable. [2]
[1] Youth Mental Health. (2024). Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/index.html
[2] ibid
ALL LEARNING IS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL.
Why Dr. Gerchow?
Credentialed school psychologist and champion for youth
Dr. Gerchow is a licensed psychologist (PSY 29762) and credentialed school psychologist. She received her Ph.D. at UC Berkeley where her training focused on child and adolescent development. During her training, Dr. Gerchow completed three clinical placements in the Mount Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD). Prior to earning her Ph.D., Dr. Gerchow served as a counselor at Richmond’s De Anza High School and earned a California multiple subject teaching credential and master’s degree focused on urban education from the University of Southern California (USC).
Outside of California’s public schools, Dr. Gerchow served as the Director for UC Berkeley’s Academic Talent Development Program (ATDP), creating the program’s Pathway Scholars initiative to support talent development opportunities for students with financial need. She was also appointed to the Junior League of California State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) where she co-chaired the Education Committee and received the Rising Star Award for contributions in education advocacy.
In 2021, Dr. Gerchow’s proposal for a Behavioral Health Residency to Support America’s Educators won the Education Re(Open) design challenge sponsored by USC’s Edge Center and the Andrew Nikkou Foundation.
Consulting Services
We believe schools and districts must establish safe and nurturing learning environments where students and families have quick access to culturally responsive and effective prevention and therapeutic services. Aligned with this belief, our consulting services focus on:
- Promotion
Our promotion efforts are informed by the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) strategies for promoting mental health in schools. For example, we might co-design peer-led initiatives focused on enhancing connectedness among students, staff, and families.
- MAPPING & ASSESSMENT
Are your students overserved yet under-serviced? To answer this question, we conduct an analysis of your school or district’s mental health landscape, including staffing capacity, partnerships, and prevention and intervention services.
- PROGRAM DESIGN
Whether it’s strengthening long-standing programs or creating new ones, we take an iterative and collaborative approach. Previous projects include creating a support group for youth with grief, revamping a behavioral health internship program, and leading a collegiality-building consultation group for teachers interested in restorative justice.
- STAFF DEVELOPMENT
We host skill development workshops and provide consultee-centered consultation on topics including behavior support, motivation, and social-emotional learning. Our gatherings are designed to boost educators’ professional self-efficacy and improve the quality of their relationships with students and colleagues.
Consulting Services
We believe schools and districts must establish safe and nurturing learning environments where students and families have quick access to culturally responsive and effective prevention and therapeutic services. Aligned with this belief, our consulting services focus on:
- Promotion
- Mappings & Assessment
- Program Design
- STAFF DEVELOPMENT
- Promotion
Our promotion efforts are informed by the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) strategies for promoting mental health in schools. For example, we might co-design peer-led initiatives focused on enhancing connectedness among students, staff, and families.
- Mappings & Assessment
Are your students overserved yet under-serviced? To answer this question, we conduct an analysis of your school or district’s mental health landscape, including staffing capacity, partnerships, and prevention and intervention services.
- program design
Whether it’s strengthening long-standing programs or creating new ones, we take an iterative and collaborative approach. Previous projects include creating a support group for youth with grief, revamping a behavioral health internship program, and leading a collegiality-building consultation group for teachers interested in restorative justice.
- Staff Development
We host skill development workshops and provide consultee-centered consultation on topics including behavior support, motivation, and social-emotional learning. Our gatherings are designed to boost educators’ professional self-efficacy and improve the quality of their relationships with students and colleagues.
TESTIMONIALS
Christine’s deep commitment to students is evident in her stellar work ethic, intelligence, and compassion. She takes every opportunity to learn about each child as a person and human being in order to best serve their needs. As a colleague, I could not recommend her more highly.
Peer coach and teacher, Mt. Diablo Unified School District
Dr. Gerchow is widely regarded as a model of Collaborative Leadership. Her keen ability to harness shared vision across multiple sectors while fostering supportive inter-agency relationships has been an inspiration!
Senior Chief of Schools
Alameda County Office of Education
