Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Services and Programming

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Services and Programming is an integrated program of mental health support and services developed by Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services (HAMHDS) in partnership with Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS). This collaboration provides mental health services and support to students with a serious emotional disturbance within the school setting. This proactively eliminates many of the systemic barriers to accessing mental health services that students and families often encounter, including financial barriers, transportation, clinician availability, lack of awareness of services and social stigmas. The program includes the hiring and placement of a full-time licensed mental health professional to provide outpatient counseling using evidence-based practices through a trauma-informed approach onsite at the HCPS Campus of Virginia Randolph. The licensed mental health professional also provides consultative support and professional learning to the HCPS school-based mental health team, building administrators and faculty/staff. The program also includes the hiring and placement of a full-time family support partner to work directly with families of the youth identified for services and outreach to families who may be hesitant to participate in services or who may not have had experience with (or have had negative experiences) in accessing mental health services.