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

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

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[quote=Anonymous]Basically, special interest groups and the director were involved with this decision... I see no evidence of public or council engagement prior to this decision.  See below:

Response from SY 16 Oversight Committee Questions: Pages 173-174

During FY16, the DBH director convened an interagency group known as the Behavioral Health Working Group (BWG) to re-envision a comprehensive plan with a strategy for expanding early  childhood and school based behavioral health programs and services to all schools by School Year 17/18. The BWG was comprised of several District agencies including DBH, DOH, DCPS,DCPCS, Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), child advocates and other community
partners.

The BWG endorsed a new District of Columbia Comprehensive School Mental Health Program (CSMHP) as a model to expand mental health services to every public and public charter school. The guiding principle is to develop a unified service delivery framework that builds on and connects existing service models to maximize the resources available to all students and ensures that there is no disparity in resource allocation between similarly situated schools and child
development centers.

The proposed District comprehensive plan is designed to provide a shared and unified vision for allocating new and existing school-based behavioral health services for all public and public charter students and an expansion of early childhood mental health consultation in the child development centers. The recommended service delivery framework utilizes a scope and leveraging of the services that agencies are strong in delivering. This focus is designed to use the
resources of the District more effectively and efficiently in the service of providing children and youth in child development centers and public and public charter schools with the broadest access to behavioral health services.

A final draft document of the comprehensive plan is under review.

Once approved, a Stakeholder Engagement Plan will be established and implemented during the SYR 16-17 for education and engagement regarding the re-visioning of the DBH clinician’s role within the framework of the re-structured school-based behavioral health model. This stakeholder communication, education, and engagement will occur prior to the projected SY 17-18 rollout of the re-visioned scope of  services and role of a DBH clinician in the schools.[/quote]

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