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Behavioral Health outlines expansion of school‑based wellness centers and multi‑tier supports for students
Summary
Behavioral Health Services updated the committee on school‑linked services and the roll‑out of school‑based wellness centers, reporting new investments and program growth.
The Behavioral Health Services Department presented an update on the county's School‑Linked Services (SLS) initiative and school‑based wellness centers, describing a multi‑tiered approach to school behavioral health supports.
Catherine (Kati) Aspyris, division director, said the SLS program follows a multi‑tiered system of supports: Tier 1 universal prevention and family engagement; Tier 2 targeted prevention and early intervention; and Tier 3 therapeutic outpatient services. The family engagement program now covers 27 school districts and SLS coordinators reported more than 28,100 referrals with an 82% linkage rate so far in the quarter. Coordinators also organized hundreds of workshops and family events, cumulatively reaching thousands of attendees.
Wellness centers and funding: Behavioral Health reported a county investment of $12.1 million to support new and enhanced school‑based wellness centers; 39 school projects (including some charters) were listed across 10 school districts. The department said it received Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) grants and student behavioral health initiative funds to implement additional centers and to pilot a universal mental‑health screening roadmap at transition grades (3rd, 6th and 9th).
Committee questions and next steps: Supervisors asked how SLS staff coordinate with McKinney‑Vento liaisons for students experiencing homelessness; Behavioral Health said coordinators and McKinney‑Vento liaisons partner on referrals and, in some districts, a single SLS coordinator performs both roles. Supervisors also asked about sustainability; the department said a multi‑payer school fee schedule pilot and continued partnership with the County Office of Education, managed care plans and community partners are part of a sustainability strategy.
Action: The committee voted to receive the quarter‑one report. Committee members asked staff to return with follow‑up information about coordination with schools that serve high numbers of students experiencing homelessness, and about outcomes once screening pilots start.
