Schools describe $111M statewide consortium; seven local grantees named for 2024–25

Molly Wanamaker, a supervisor in student services for Calvert County Public Schools, briefed the committee on the Maryland Consortium grant process and local awardees. Wanamaker said the legislature allocated about $111,000,000 statewide to expand comprehensive behavioral‑health services in schools; local applications were reviewed by the district and seven organizations were funded to provide services in Calvert County for the 2024–25 school year.

Wanamaker named the local 2024–25 grantees and pilots: the Calvert County Health Department (school‑based therapists and a medication‑management pilot), Community Mediation Center of Calvert County (mediation and restorative practices), East John Youth Center (youth groups and transportation), Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland (after‑school programming), Pathways (in‑school therapy at Patuxent High School), UnioHealth/Prosper (a self‑care app with roughly 230 student downloads), and Barstow Acres Children’s Center (social‑skills groups). She said some schools remain without assigned providers because of workforce shortages and that additional applicants (Hazel Health, Cornerstone, Youth Empowerment Foundation) are under review for 2025–26 funding.

Committee members asked whether the consortium is building a single point of entry or shared data hub. Wanamaker said a hub grant (to be awarded to a local behavioral health authority applicant) is expected to provide oversight and monitoring; in the interim, projects are independent but aligned on common outcome metrics required by the consortium.