Mass. school’s program aids transition after long absence

A program at a Massachusetts high school helps students who have had extended absences caused by mental health issues transition back to the school environment. The classroom for the program includes calming music and access to a greenhouse so students can unwind, and social worker Karen Peters, the program’s clinical director, says the goal “is to really provide a home base for students, so that when they are experiencing high levels of distress, they don’t stay home.”