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District reviews mental-health milestones, school-based therapy partnerships and 'Handle With Care' notifications
Summary
Wicomico County Public Schools staff reported expansions in suicide-risk assessment training, school-based therapy MOUs (nine agencies, ~500 students served), telehealth for secondary students, about 227 risk assessments with 103 emergency petitions this year, and roughly 155 formal 'Handle With Care' notifications to date; staff described proactive family outreach and support services for immigration-impacted families.
Meredith Miller, the district mental-health coordinator, and Student and Family Services staff presented a status report on mental-health supports and family services.
Miller said roughly one in five students in the district—about 3,200 of the district's approximately 16,000 students—experience mental-health challenges, and described a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) with Tier 1 universal supports, Tier 2 targeted small-group interventions and Tier 3 individualized services. Staff completed districtwide Risk 2 suicide assessments training in 2024 for all mental-health staff and said the district has conducted 227 risk assessments this school year, of which 103 resulted in emergency petitions; staff said many students were instead safety-planned so they did not require automatic hospital transfer.
Staff described nine community therapy agencies in MOUs this year that provide school-based therapy and estimated about 500 students currently receiving school-based therapy services. Telehealth for secondary students was implemented this year through Chesapeake Healthcare to reduce access barriers. Miller and Dr. Hrabarski said the district participates in Maryland's consortium grant efforts and the statewide 'Handle With Care' notifications; they reported approximately 155 formal Handle With Care notifications this school year and described outreach to expand notification partners (fire departments, county partners, multilingual community agencies) so schools learn quickly when a child has experienced a traumatic event.
Board members asked about the return-to-school plans after inpatient stays, the makeup of mental-health staff, and the relationship between poverty/ACEs and mental-health trends. Staff described coordinated transition plans with hospitals when parents consent and multiple staff roles (school counselors, social workers, psychologists, student-safety coordinators) that participate in reintegration and support. Staff also outlined community partnerships, basic-needs services (laundry access, school food pantries, short-term rental assistance), and proactive family outreach via PPWs and community-located meetings.
Staff emphasized training, partnerships, triage and follow-up protocols and invited board members to community events (Children's Mental Health Family Night) and further briefings.
