Designated agencies, school counselors warn Success Beyond 6 strained by staffing and funding pressures

Designated agency leaders and school counselors told the Vermont House Health Care Committee during a hearing that Vermont’s Success Beyond 6 school‑based mental health partnership is under pressure from workforce shortages and evolving school contracting choices, and that Medicaid billing rules and a required local match continue to shape who pays for services.

Matt Habenank, director of early childhood and school‑based services at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS), said the program’s aim is early intervention in schools and “we're always sort of in to work ourselves out of a job, as quickly as we can.” He told lawmakers Success Beyond 6 provides a mix of fee‑for‑service, case‑rate clinicians, PBIS consultants and DA‑run independent school placements that reach roughly two‑thirds of Vermont schools.

Why it matters: Success Beyond 6 is structured so designated agencies bill Medicaid for covered services and the school district pays a local match that NCSS cites currently as a 42.17% federal match component. When districts hire clinicians or behavior staff directly rather than contracting with a designated agency, NCSS leaders said the district must carry…