UNION COUNTY, Ohio (WSYX) — As students prepare to return to school, North Union Local Schools in Central Ohio is taking proactive steps to address mental health issues among its students. The district has introduced the BRYT – Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition – classroom, a dedicated space designed to support students facing mental health challenges.

Riley Hughes, a therapist in the BRYT classroom, explained the program’s mission: “Trying to help those kids be their best version of themselves and help them get back to the classroom.”

The BRYT classroom offers a welcoming environment with comfortable seating, dimmable lights, and areas for group discussions. Students can meet with Hughes and an academic advisor to address ongoing mental health concerns or crises that arise during the school day. Hughes noted that some students visit the classroom during designated study halls, while others come in during a crisis.

Hughes also maintained contact with students over the summer through Zoom meetings, providing support to those in crisis and those seeking connection.

“Maybe he just wants that connection that maybe he’s not getting at home or somewhere else,” Hughes said. “I think these kids really just want connection.”

The initiative is already showing positive results. Superintendent Justin Ufferman reported, “With the kids that we were working with within that BRYT program, their attendance numbers were drastically different than they were the year before.”

Sandy Richards from North Union Local Schools highlighted the program’s impact on families: “That helps the parents be able to stay at work and the kids be able to stay at school because we have therapists at school.”

Hughes emphasized the importance of skill development for students, saying, “A lot of kids, it’s not like they don’t have the will to do well, it’s just they don’t have the skill to do well, so it’s like really helping them develop those skills to do well in the classroom.”

The BRYT classroom is part of the district’s broader effort to address the mental health needs of students, particularly in the wake of the pandemic’s impact on social connections and absenteeism.

The Healthy Minds: A Community Conversation on Youth Mental Wellness airs on WSYX-ABC6 Friday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 16 at 5:00 p.m.

ABC6 is proud to partner with CAS, Sun Behavioral Health, Acura Marysville, Ohio Education Association, Impact 60 and NAMI Ohio for this program.