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District reports 2,440 wellness-room visits; incidents of disruptive behavior and suspensions down
Summary
Mental health grant coordinator Joy Parrella told the board that wellness rooms recorded 2,440 visits so far, bullying and classroom-reported incidents have fallen while truancy and vape-related drug incidents rose; the district is billing Medicaid for eligible services to sustain staff.
Joy Parrella, the district’s mental health grant coordinator, reported results and operational details from the district’s wellness rooms and grant activities to the Silver Consolidated Board of Education.
Parrella told the board that the wellness rooms have recorded 2,440 visits to date and that recorded bullying incidents, disruptive behaviors and out‑of‑school suspensions have decreased compared with the prior year’s metrics. She said truancy has increased and noted approximately 87 students had missed 25 or more days to date in the current fiscal year. Parrella said drug incidents had risen slightly (from 13 last year to 16 to date) and attributed most of the drug reports to marijuana vapes.
Parrella described recent parent‑engagement events, the district’s work with the Public Education Department’s family engagement team, and an upcoming kin‑raising workshop with 16 families registered and childcare provided by FCCLA students. She said the district has begun billing Medicaid for services provided by licensed staff under the mental‑health grant and that, apart from one intern who cannot bill, other licensed providers began billing in November.
Board members and administrators praised the program. Members noted outside districts and state officials have asked to learn from Silver’s program. Parrella said the district will present at regional conferences and has hosted visitors from other districts to demonstrate the wellness rooms.
Parrella and other staff also described differences in how wellness services are used at each campus: Cliff Schools uses group sessions, SEL classes and lunchtime activities that increase room usage; staff are reworking reporting templates to separate group from individual visits in next year’s data.
Parrella closed by asking the board to support continued outreach and partnership efforts; she and staff said Medicaid billing will help sustain licensed positions after grant funding ends.
