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Therapists and parents urge board to sustain and publicize school‑employed mental‑health services and DTC program
Summary
Licensed mental‑health therapists and a parent urged trustees to continue hiring district‑employed therapists and fully fund the Day Treatment Center (DTC); therapists said school‑employed staff provide faster crisis response and continuity of care than contracted agencies.
Licensed mental‑health therapists employed by Rock Hill Schools and parents told the board during public comment on Feb. 11 that school‑employed therapists provide critical, accessible services and that the Day Treatment Center (DTC) is helping students who need intensive support.
Representatives of the district's licensed therapists said the program—established in 2019 when the district began employing its own therapists—has served more than 2,600 students over six years and provided hundreds of crisis interventions this school year, including more than 40 referrals to emergency services. The therapists argued that district‑employed staff offer continuity of care regardless of a student's insurance status and can respond immediately to crises in a way contracted agencies sometimes cannot.
A parent who identified herself as a parent of a Dutchman Creek Middle School sixth grader told trustees that her son benefited academically and behaviorally from the Day Treatment Center under Dr. Chisholm's direction, calling the program a "stepping stone" that should be fully funded and better publicized to families. She said many parents had not known about the DTC or believed alternative options were their only path, and asked the district to ensure appropriate staffing and outreach so more students can access the program.
Why it matters Trustees heard that in‑house therapists enable faster emergency response, avoid insurance‑related service gaps, and support continuity for students who might otherwise lose services because of insurance changes or agency turnover. The parent comment also flagged communication gaps about the DTC's availability.
Provenance Topic intro: transcript block at 1522.4401 — therapists' presentation (evidence_excerpt: "We stand before you today as representatives of the 10 licensed mental health therapists employed by Rockville Schools"). Topic finish: transcript block at 2000.645 — end of public comment on DTC (evidence_excerpt: "We do ask you to keep this going for our students. Thank you so much.").
