De-Funding of Full-Time Mental Health Social Workers and Therapists from DCPS and Charter Schools

[Anonymous]

This issue is not black and white. As a practical matter, DCPS schools were resistant to the school mental health program - so the department of behavior health channeled most of these clinicians to charter schools, and even among the charter schools it was voluntary. A lot of the schools who chose to participate were actually better funded programs or programs that already qualified for grants for mental health service - outside the school mental health program. Some of the clinicians in this program are pretty awful - and the schools have no recourse to get rid of them - the clinicians only answer to behavioral health. When the schools complain to behavioral health, they are told that the psychologist is a problem clinician but that he is protected by the union, so behavioral can't do anything and won't send them a new clinician. Also, the schools do not have any say in the programming or schedule for what the clinician is doing. Behavioral health originally thought the clinicians would be able to bill to pay for the cost of the program - but this has been an epic failure. What has emerged is an expensive, unfunded program. Some schools have full-time services (with varying degrees of success), others have no services. Some do clinical work, others only do preventive stuff. However, all schools need preventive screenings and presentations- but the clinicians do not have time to do it. During the summers when school is not in session, the city basically pays the clinicians to sit around and do nothing. So, because the program does not pay for itself - what the department is trying to do is switch to baseline services model and to avoid scenarios where they are effectively paying for largely middle class and wealthy schools and students to get free mental health care, when their is greater need in other areas of the city. Schools are free to supplement with vender-provided wrap-around services. The city also funds clinical work through other non-school based services programs - and will continue to do so for poor children. Keep in mind that the clinicians are not allowed to work with special ed students at all. Only students who are outside the special ed framework.

[Anonymous]

I have a biased opinion because I am in the school mental health program, but want to address some of the misinformation addressed in the post above. I will also say I have a Phd and was trained in psychotherapy AFTER getting my master’s in social worker and in all my dealings with DCPS social workers, most have not been trained in actual therapy just as social worker.

“ DCPS schools were resistant to the school mental health program”

As many of you know, DCPS is resistant to change in any manner yet alone another entity in the building. However, they were not resistant to help. As you can see by the petition and the many who have spoken out, they are DCPS staff.

“A lot of the schools who chose to participate were actually better-funded programs or programs that already qualified for grants for mental health service”

Generalization. Give specifics on grants. I would love to know the great programs and grants that are providing therapy services in schools.

“Some of the clinicians in this program are pretty awful”
No proof. I do believe that you will have some workers who do not fit up to standards, but that would be true with any employment.

“When the schools complain to behavioral health, they are told that the psychologist is a problem clinician but that he is protected by the union, so behavioral can't do anything and won't send them a new clinician.”

Incorrect. Schools are asked to give a 90 days notice and they will be given a new clinician.

“the schools do not have any say in the programming or schedule for what the clinician is doing.”

Wrong again. A needs assessment is done and the principal and staff are asked about the needs and what programming would work for the school.

“Behavioral health originally thought the clinicians would be able to bill to pay for the cost of the program - but this has been an epic failure.”

Also untrue. In the early stages of the program, they didn’t bill at all and the need came about from the South Capitol Street Bill.

I could go on and on, but the tell from the previous post was that a “psychologist is a problem clinician.” Gee I wonder if you are talking about yourself? Maybe bitter DCPS social workers and psychologists shouldn’t complain about expensive epic failures because I am pretty sure you are the highest paying clinical workers in the DMV area. I have worked in 4 DCPS schools where the majority of social workers and psychologists were making 6 figures! I wonder if we took all the social workers out of schools and then paid private contractors to do the work at half the price….I may be on to something here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This issue is not black and white. As a practical matter, DCPS schools were resistant to the school mental health program - so the department of behavior health channeled most of these clinicians to charter schools, and even among the charter schools it was voluntary. A lot of the schools who chose to participate were actually better funded programs or programs that already qualified for grants for mental health service - outside the school mental health program. Some of the clinicians in this program are pretty awful - and the schools have no recourse to get rid of them - the clinicians only answer to behavioral health. When the schools complain to behavioral health, they are told that the psychologist is a problem clinician but that he is protected by the union, so behavioral can't do anything and won't send them a new clinician. Also, the schools do not have any say in the programming or schedule for what the clinician is doing. Behavioral health originally thought the clinicians would be able to bill to pay for the cost of the program - but this has been an epic failure. What has emerged is an expensive, unfunded program. Some schools have full-time services (with varying degrees of success), others have no services. Some do clinical work, others only do preventive stuff. However, all schools need preventive screenings and presentations- but the clinicians do not have time to do it. During the summers when school is not in session, the city basically pays the clinicians to sit around and do nothing. So, because the program does not pay for itself - what the department is trying to do is switch to baseline services model and to avoid scenarios where they are effectively paying for largely middle class and wealthy schools and students to get free mental health care, when their is greater need in other areas of the city. Schools are free to supplement with vender-provided wrap-around services. The city also funds clinical work through other non-school based services programs - and will continue to do so for poor children. Keep in mind that the clinicians are not allowed to work with special ed students at all. Only students who are outside the special ed framework.

Jaded psychologist much?

[Anonymous]

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I can tell you from personal experience that: 1) many within the school-based mental health program are dissatisfied with how the program has evolved over time; 2) wish that they could devote MORE time to clinical work; 3) wish the supervision/case-sharing was more better; 4) wish that their summer time was utilized better; 5) and know that their are clinicians within the program that are below standard. At the school level, 1) it is not true that they are reassigned a new after 90 days - that has never been true; 2) schools don't feel their input has been valued in the needs assessment; and 3) they resent that clinicians are pulled out for crisis events in other schools/communities and that they don't have more input as to the clinicians' schedules. It's also probably true that the schools want to use the clinicians inappropriately (babysitting/special ed) and aren't happy when they get called out.

The answer is not to kill the program - and maybe shifting to some services for all instead of uneven coverage across the board is killing the program in your view. However, pretending that the program is works well for everyone doesn't help fix it. Yu Ying has a clinician; MV has a clinician; Wilson has a clinician; Inspired Teaching has a clinician; E.L.Haynes has a clinician. All of these schools are fairly well-funded and have low rates of poverty (comparatively). It is not unreasonable to think that clinicians could be better utilized in other schools.

quote=Anonymous]I have a biased opinion because I am in the school mental health program, but want to address some of the misinformation addressed in the post above. I will also say I have a Phd and was trained in psychotherapy AFTER getting my master’s in social worker and in all my dealings with DCPS social workers, most have not been trained in actual therapy just as social worker.

“ DCPS schools were resistant to the school mental health program”

As many of you know, DCPS is resistant to change in any manner yet alone another entity in the building. However, they were not resistant to help. As you can see by the petition and the many who have spoken out, they are DCPS staff.

“A lot of the schools who chose to participate were actually better-funded programs or programs that already qualified for grants for mental health service”

Generalization. Give specifics on grants. I would love to know the great programs and grants that are providing therapy services in schools.

“Some of the clinicians in this program are pretty awful”
No proof. I do believe that you will have some workers who do not fit up to standards, but that would be true with any employment.

“When the schools complain to behavioral health, they are told that the psychologist is a problem clinician but that he is protected by the union, so behavioral can't do anything and won't send them a new clinician.”

Incorrect. Schools are asked to give a 90 days notice and they will be given a new clinician.

“the schools do not have any say in the programming or schedule for what the clinician is doing.”

Wrong again. A needs assessment is done and the principal and staff are asked about the needs and what programming would work for the school.

“Behavioral health originally thought the clinicians would be able to bill to pay for the cost of the program - but this has been an epic failure.”

Also untrue. In the early stages of the program, they didn’t bill at all and the need came about from the South Capitol Street Bill.

I could go on and on, but the tell from the previous post was that a “psychologist is a problem clinician.” Gee I wonder if you are talking about yourself? Maybe bitter DCPS social workers and psychologists shouldn’t complain about expensive epic failures because I am pretty sure you are the highest paying clinical workers in the DMV area. I have worked in 4 DCPS schools where the majority of social workers and psychologists were making 6 figures! I wonder if we took all the social workers out of schools and then paid private contractors to do the work at half the price….I may be on to something here.

[Anonymous]

"All of these schools are fairly well-funded and have low rates of poverty (comparatively). It is not unreasonable to think that clinicians could be better utilized in other schools."

It is interesting to me that people need to quantify help or should I say pain or trauma with classism. Does a girl who is sexually molested hurt less because she is rich or goes to a well off school? I completely disagree that some should receive help and others shouldnt, just based on who is rich and who is not. The answer is not to help only those who are poor, the rich feel pain just the same.

[Anonymous]

Any updates? When does this get approved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't the schools job. Obamacare covers this. What a waste

It's not that simple. I'm a parent who's child receives services through school. For a while we were seeing private but that was EXTREMELY challenging.

First we had to find a therapist, forget anyone how takes insurance. Paid out of pocket with a 60% reimbursement.

Then I had to take off work. I'm a contractor (non-gov) so this was unpaid. But even if paid, taking a 1/2 day or leaving 2 hours early every week does not fly well.

Then my son had to leave school early, missing important classes.

Last, the new in school therapist sees the environment my kid is in and the challenges. She can speak directly with teachers with questions.

In short, in school therapy is the BEST THING FOR KIDS.

I always knew Bowser was a Republican in disguise, and the worse kind.

[Anonymous]

Looks like the petition is up to 1,100 signatures!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the petition is up to 1,100 signatures!

I don't know who is right or wrong, but I firmly believe sunlight is a disinfectant. Let's bring the issue into public view so that we get real stories and real accountability.

[Anonymous]

I looked it up. The Committee on Health will hold hearings Friday, 4/28/2017 at 11:00 am in Room 412 and this issue will be discussed. I think you could even testify, but I am not sure how you sign up for that. That is all I could find in the papers, but I agree with the majority of the responses, while I am not sure what the answer is or who is correct, the issue should be brought to the public.

The Washington Post did some great articles on the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Tech Shooting, with personal stories throughout the article along with obvious policy changes. And the number one argument and repeated theme- WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR SCHOOLS. Does something bad have to happen for people to care about this issue? Sadly it appears we now live in that world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I looked it up. The Committee on Health will hold hearings Friday, 4/28/2017 at 11:00 am in Room 412 and this issue will be discussed. I think you could even testify, but I am not sure how you sign up for that. That is all I could find in the papers, but I agree with the majority of the responses, while I am not sure what the answer is or who is correct, the issue should be brought to the public.

The Washington Post did some great articles on the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Tech Shooting, with personal stories throughout the article along with obvious policy changes. And the number one argument and repeated theme- WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR SCHOOLS. Does something bad have to happen for people to care about this issue? Sadly it appears we now live in that world.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Update from the most recent article on this subject.

http://dcist.com/2017/04/parents_and_teachers_worried_about.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update from the most recent article on this subject.

http://dcist.com/2017/04/parents_and_teachers_worried_about.php

THANK YOU!!!!

[Anonymous]

Here is an update, link below. Looks like the changes will not be made. Still odd how the proposal nor the vote or amendment was discussed in the local news. I guess a win is a win, but there still should be more press about mental health in schools.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-washington-dc-government-from-stripping-mental-health-services-for-children/u/20688232

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is an update, link below. Looks like the changes will not be made. Still odd how the proposal nor the vote or amendment was discussed in the local news. I guess a win is a win, but there still should be more press about mental health in schools.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-washington-dc-government-from-stripping-mental-health-services-for-children/u/20688232

Wow, that would be great. I just assumed the DOH would win the war by outlasting and outmaneuvering parents. Good for Grosso and Gray.

How about the school nurse program?