Social Work Services
We're Here For You
UT High School provides several support services, including special education support, school counseling, and social work. School social work services aim to support the social-emotional well-being of the school community.
Through individual and group support, resource connection, consultation, and family and community collaboration, school social work helps reduce barriers to learning and promotes student success in the virtual school environment. With parent/guardian consent, school social work services provided by UT High School include:
- 💬 Short-Term Individual Support
- 👥 Small Group Support
- 🚨 Crisis Intervention & Safety Planning
- 🌱 Social-Emotional Learning Activities
- 👪 Parent & Family Support
- 🗂️ Case Management & Resource Referrals
- 🏫 School Engagement Support
- 🔗 Wraparound Service Coordination
Meet Your Social Worker
Luke Kertcher is a licensed master social worker who joined the UTHS team in 2026 after serving as a school social worker in Manor ISD and as a therapist at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Luke began his career working as an ELA/ESL teacher, team lead, curriculum content leader, and district multilingual services trainer with Aldine ISD in Houston, TX.
Luke is a proud first-generation college graduate, holding a BA in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania and an MS in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. In his free time, Luke loves to cook, try new local restaurants, and spend time at the beach. You can reach out to Luke at luke.kertcher@austin.utexas.edu.
Need Support?
- Adjusting to virtual learning
- Managing stress, anxiety, sadness, and overwhelm
- Developing coping and self-advocacy skills
- Supporting family-school communication
- Planning during or after a mental health crisis
- Coordinating services with your outside provider(s)
- Navigating major life changes
- Handling peer conflicts
- Requesting support with basic needs
- Connecting with your local community resources
Need Counseling Instead?
If you need help with course planning, four-year plans, testing, college applications, or graduation requirements, that's what your academic counselor handles. Not sure which one you need? Either one can point you in the right direction.