Milford schools detail layered mental‑health services, cite 474 students in active care and data from monitoring software

Milford Exempted Village School District mental health coordinator MJ Ostrowski told the school board on April 17 that the district offers multiple, layered mental‑health services across elementary, middle and high schools and currently has 474 students receiving regular clinical services.

Ostrowski said the district provides one‑on‑one and group services through school psychologists and counselors, maintains school‑based day treatment (two hours of group therapy per school day plus weekly individual therapy), and employs mental health interventionists and external partners such as Child Focus and BestPoint Behavioral Health. "We have 474 students that we are actively serving," Ostrowski said, clarifying that figure covered students with weekly, biweekly or monthly scheduled appointments and did not include one‑time crisis contacts handled by counselors.

The district this year piloted the Sources of Strength peer‑leader program, Ostrowski said, training 229 peer leaders and running four campaigns that culminate with a student‑facing “What Helps Me” campaign aligned with Mental Health Awareness Month. The Sources pilot was supported by the local nonprofit 1in5 and a mini grant from the Clermont County Mental Health Recovery Board, Ostrowski said. She also said Sources is an approved program under Ohio House Bill 123, commonly called the Save Act.

Ostrowski described technology the district uses for early detection and response. A vendor called Gaggle analyzed district data from July through March and identified 56 incidents that staff deemed “imminent threats” that prompted administrator notification and family or law‑enforcement welfare checks, she said. Ostrowski also said Gaggle flagged 395 instances of content related to suicide or self‑harm in that period.

The district received a $30,000 grant from the Children’s Appalachian Coalition in partnership with the Cook Center to provide free parent coaching for Milford families, Ostrowski said. She named other community partners working with the district: MindPeace, Child Focus, 1in5, BestPoint Behavioral Health and local behavioral‑health organizations; she also cited the SARA collaborative at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as a resource for suicide prevention research.

Board members asked about student selection for Sources peer leaders and parental notification. Ostrowski said peer leaders are chosen through a nomination process intended to create a diverse leadership group, that students who want to participate are not turned away, and that QPR and additional adult advisor trainings are scheduled. On parental contact, she said parent consent is required before most in‑school services beyond counselor‑level contacts, and counselors will reach out to families to discuss appropriate services when concerns arise.

Ostrowski said the district does not bill families for school‑provided clinical care. "We do not bill. There is no billing," she said, adding that offering in‑district services reduces barriers for families facing high deductibles or other access issues.

Board members and staff emphasized that postvention and crisis response are part of the district’s approach: Ostrowski described the district’s use of evidence‑based risk assessments, safety planning with families, re‑entry care after hospitalization and coordination with community providers when a student death occurs. She said the district works with MindPeace and other partners to craft postvention supports and to reduce the risk of contagion following a death.

Ostrowski provided a written offer to share slides and links to resources with community members and invited board members and families to contact her for more details.