Support for Personalized Learning focuses on the individual needs of the student holistically with an emphasis on the mental health needs to further support his/her educational success. Expanded School Mental Health (ESMH) is a comprehensive system of mental health services and programs that builds on core services typically provided by schools.

Meet Christina Freels, LICSW
The Board of Education hired Chris in 2018 to be the Lead Social Worker for Morgan County Schools with her main office located at the Board of Education. Chris is a licensed clinical social worker who has a BSW from Shepherd University and an MSW from WVU. Chris has experience with Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Child Protection, and Legal Aid of West Virginia. She has taught Introduction to Social Work at Shepherd University. She currently is working toward her certification in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Chris also works with Shepherd University and WVU to place students in Internship Positions within Morgan County Schools. She provides clinical supervision to other social workers and supervises social workers in the schools.

Meet Catherine Wood, MBA, PBIS
Catherine Wood graduated from Marshall University with a bachelor's degree in social work. She continued her education at University of Southern California where she earned her Master's Degree in Social Work. Catherine currently serves Morgan County in a variety of roles. She is also the softball coach at BSHS.

Meet Laura Johnson, MSW
Laura Johnson graduated from Frostburg State University with her bachelor’s in psychology and recently graduated from WVU with a master’s in social work. Laura was previously a licensed addiction counselor in Maryland for 5 years before transferring to Morgan County Schools. She is excited to make a positive impact on her community.  

SBIRT Program
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based program that helps to identify and increase positive health behaviors for students at-risk for substance use and/or mental health issues. 

Understanding ESMH

Resources