Haywood County Schools reports modest changes to mental‑health staffing as grant funding wanes
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Putnam told the board the district added one school psychologist and maintains counselors and nurses while some grant-funded support positions may decline; Dogwood grant funding for middle‑school supports is running low and staff are seeking alternatives.
Superintendent Dr. Putnam presented the district's required annual report on school mental‑health support personnel, saying the district has taken steps to maintain services but faces funding challenges.
Dr. Putnam said the district increased the number of school psychologists from six to seven this year, and that school counselors remain at 19 and school nurses at eight. He said school social workers remain at five and the district now lists three licensed clinical social workers, a role the district described as having billing capacity for Medicaid. Dr. Putnam also reported reductions in some behavioral assistance positions: mental‑health behavior assistance roles were reported as 7.5 in 2024–25 and projected at 6.5 for 2025–26.
The superintendent described other supports the district uses, including two "stepping stones" teachers who work with students unable to participate in regular classrooms, a district behavior specialist who develops functional behavior assessments and intervention plans, contracts for positive behavior supports, and an anonymous reporting app used to detect students in crisis.
Board members pressed staff on funding sources for positions that are currently grant‑supported. Dr. Putnam said Dogwood grant dollars that have paid for some attendance/mentoring positions are running low and that district staff have a meeting scheduled with Dogwood to discuss continuation for middle‑school positions; if Dogwood does not continue support, the district will seek alternative funding. The district described the Dogwood positions as used for attendance pickup, mentoring and other preventative supports.
Dr. Putnam framed the district's mix of permanent and contracted supports as important but constrained by the loss of temporary funds: "These are not, you know, something that's gonna make headlines, but these are things that are very, very important," he said.
What happens next: the board did not take formal action beyond discussion; staff said they will report back as meetings with potential funders occur and as budget development continues in spring.