Board hears ESS presentation on clinical services and a state grant to add clinicians for two years

Effective School Solutions (ESS) presented metrics and a proposed expansion at the Cromwell Board of Education meeting on June 2, saying a legislative grant will allow ESS to provide two additional clinicians for up to two years at no cost to the district.

Erin Chanel, ESS regional clinical director, told the board the district’s ESS program delivered 4,215 total service hours through May 21, completed 157 clinical assessments and reported positive academic and attendance outcomes in targeted groups: ‘‘100% of students classified as struggling improved or maintained their GPA,’’ she said, and ‘‘82% of chronically absent students improved or maintained attendance.’’ Chanel described family-engagement activity (560 outreach attempts, 316 successful contacts, 292 family therapy sessions) and summarized clinical measures used (PHQ‑9, GAD‑7, Columbia suicide screener).

Mike Roseman, ESS director of district partnerships, said the expansion stems from state legislative funding routed through ESS and a state agency; he said the grant ‘‘will be at no cost to the district’’ and that ESS is working with the administration to define where clinicians would be deployed for the 2026–27 school year. The district would receive support for two clinician cohorts over a two‑year period if final signatures and administrative steps are completed.

Board members pressed ESS for details on elementary‑level experience and measurable effectiveness there. Board member Mrs. Russ and others noted that ESS historically focused on high school and middle-school settings and asked ESS to supply pre/post trend data before the board approves any permanent expansion. Dr. Enza Macri and district staff said operational placement decisions (which schools will host clinicians) are an administrative matter to be set by the superintendent and director of student services; several board members said they want to review additional ESS data on elementary outcomes before committing to sustained funding beyond the grant period.

ESS and district staff agreed to provide follow-up materials with clearer breakdowns of elementary-level performance, clinician caseload models (ESS noted typical clinician caseloads are about 10 students per clinician), licensure of staff (ESS said clinicians include licensed marriage and family therapists and a licensed clinical social worker) and implementation timelines.

No formal vote on ESS expansion occurred at the June 2 meeting; board members supported receiving the additional data promptly so the board can evaluate operational and budgetary implications.