Board approves MOU to keep four school-based mental health specialists

The Calexico Unified board voted 5-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Imperial County Office of Education to provide four school-based mental health specialists for the upcoming school year.

Marisa Huerta Price, director of federal projects, told trustees the specialists began under an ICOE grant begun during the pandemic; one grant-funded position was expanded by the district and the program proved sufficiently impactful that the district sought to sustain and expand the model. The MOU will use one-time block-grant funds to continue four specialists dedicated to Calexico Unified sites. "The school-based mental health specialist started a couple years back with a grant from ICOE...It worked really well for the school, so then we extended that to 3," Huerta Price said, explaining the programs evolution and the flexibility to place specialists where need is greatest.

Trustees and administrators described the specialists work as tier 2 and tier 3 supports, embedded on campuses to provide short-term interventions, facilitate referrals, run parent nights and collaborate with behavioral-health partners to speed referrals and reduce paperwork barriers. Staff said the program had placed specialists at Aurora and main and ninth-grade campuses and that the specialists are integrated into campus life (drop-in rooms, lunches and occasional field-trip support).

Board action and follow-up: The board approved the MOU and asked staff to produce usage metrics (number of students served, referral counts and service types) so trustees can monitor program impact and funding sustainability. The MOU is funded through a block grant for the coming year; staff noted they are awaiting final state budget decisions on future block-grant funding.

What happens next: District staff will report back with metrics and, as state and federal funding clarity emerges, will monitor the programs sustainability and potential expansion.