Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Mental Health

Mental illness, substance use, gang involvement, family problems and other environmental stressors are issues that significantly impact children, families, and communities. These stressors can play a contributing role in our behavioral health. Behavioral health conditions affecting children and youth can lead to major problems found in schools, such as chronic absences, low achievement, disruptive behaviors, and dropping out. Many students at Sequoia High School have manifested these life’s stressors through their behaviors and low academic achievements.  Sequoia High School is making an effort to provide stability, offer important educational support, and the opportunity to link to programs and services to which many students might not otherwise have access. The integration of services within the public school setting reduces the risk of stigma for the student, while providing treatment and effective coping mechanisms in the least restrictive natural environment.  Sequoia High School has gathered highly trained staff and works with our community partners to ensure that our students have access to high-quality services that promote social-emotional health and academic success.

Visalia Unified believes in the importance of promoting the social-emotional and behavioral wellbeing of students and staff.  Through these daily efforts, schools can create an effective environment that will allow students and staff to be successful.  Sequoia High School is in the forefront of providing needed services to assist students and staff:

School Psychologist

School Social Worker

Behavioral Intervention Technicians

Campus Supervisor

Sequoia High plays a vital role in coordinating and overseeing a range of programs and services for our students and families through our partnerships:

Visalia Youth Services (VYS)

Tulare Youth Services Bureau (TYSB)

Tulare County Office of Education – Behavioral Health Services (BHS)

Tulare County Child Welfare Services

Tulare County Juvenile Probation

Recovery Resources

XL – After School

National Compadres Network - Joven Noble

Anger Management

El Joven Noble

Sequoia High has partnered with The National Compadres Network to provide El Joven Noble on campus. El Joven Noble is a comprehensive-indigenous based, youth leadership development program that supports and guides youth through their “rites of passage” process while focusing on the prevention of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, relationship violence, gang violence and school failure.  El Joven Noble group meets weekly.

Recovery Resources

Recovery Resources contracts with multiple local school districts to provide a variety of services, including programs for alcohol and drug education and prevention, tobacco education and cessation.  Recovery Resources works with Sequoia High students individually and in groups to help students overcome the challenges of substance abuse.

Pro Youth – XL

Pro-Youth's mission is to help youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally by providing a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment during out-of-school time. Expanded Learning (XL ) supports high school students to become 21st Century leaders through academic tutorials and a specialized set of pathway programs.  Sequoia High school has successfully been able to have the  XL program as part of the Pro-Youth/HEART school programs since 2014. The program features both enrichment and recreational aspects and provides a safe environment for students to explore and develop their hidden talents.    The program also provides a Career Ambassador who helps guide students towards the education and career path they choose.

Sequoia High Expanded Learning (XL) provides programs and services that help students increase school attendance and recover credits through activities such

  • Edgenuity
  • Employment Resources
  • Connections to community resources and programs
  • Snacks

Sequoia's XL program is offered in the mornings before school starts, during lunch and right after school from 3:10PM to 6:00PM Monday-Friday. Transportation home is provided by VUSD transportation if needed.

Rain Makers Quest

Rain Makers Quest is non-profit organization that partners with local schools to help students overcome life’s challenges. Rain Makers Quest works with students at Sequoia High in group setting to provide an assortment of assessment tools and strategies for youth. Rain Makers Quest helps youth identify old patterns of destructive behaviors associated with poor decision making (anger outbursts, substance abuse, gang involvement etc), and help them learn skills and strategies that will improve their outcome.  Some of these strategies includes the following.

  • Building the plan to conquer
  • Skills, tools, time limits
  • Gathering new knowledge
  • Create daringness to change