Adams County students can join local summer therapy program

Students in grades 2 through 12 had a local summer mental health option in Adams County as the Adams County Ohio Valley School District said R.E.A.C.H. for Tomorrow was offering the third annual S.T.A.R.S. Summer Group Therapy Program for Kids. The program was set to be hosted at Adams County Christian School, with transportation and meals available, a combination that can make the difference between a program families can use and one that stays out of reach.

The district framed the offering as more than a way to fill summer hours. S.T.A.R.S. was described as a chance for students to build emotional regulation, coping strategies and confidence while taking part in crafts and games. That matters in a county where the long break from school can widen gaps in routine, supervision and access to care, especially for children who benefit from structured support outside the classroom.

Access was built into the design. Families interested in participation were told to contact Braydan Shelton at 937-217-7260 for a student interest form, giving parents a clear next step instead of a vague announcement. R.E.A.C.H. for Tomorrow describes itself as a faith-based community behavioral health nonprofit focused on health, healing and wholeness, and its services include outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for mental health and substance-use recovery. The organization’s staff directory also lists Danielle Poe as Adams County Director, showing a local presence beyond a one-time school partnership.

The group’s service menu points to the needs the summer program may be trying to meet. Its Creative Counseling service is for children ages 6 to 12, and its teen groups page says adolescent intensive outpatient programming supports teens with anxiety, depression and PTSD. In a county where specialized youth services may require more travel and more coordination from families, a school-linked program with meals and transportation lowers some of the most common barriers before the school year starts again.

The district’s earlier promotion of Summer Blessings, a free summer food program for Adams County families, showed the same pattern: summer programming can address learning loss, but it can also help with basic needs. That broader safety-net approach fits with the role of local agencies such as the Adams County Public Children Services Agency in West Union and the county behavioral health system, which the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health says helps plan, evaluate and fund services. For Adams County families, the S.T.A.R.S. program was another sign that summer support is being treated as part of student well-being, not an afterthought.