School-Based Mental Health

  

Strengthening Health, Wellness, and Safety is one of the four focus areas in the New Strategic Direction for Guilford County Schools, and the Mental and Behavioral Health Services Department is committed to collaborating with stakeholders and other GCS departments to increase access to the mental health support available to students and staff. 

  

School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) services are available throughout the district and are provided based on need.  The services occur during the school day in a secure, confidential location on the school’s campus.   

 

Once a student is identified as needing SBMH support, the SBMH Referral Process begins. This student-focused, data-based process was designed to help school teams consider the whole child when identifying student needs while also quickly connecting students to SBMH support. 

 

A student’s SBMH provider is identified based on the outcome of the referral process. The current providers are: 

Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) 

• School Counselors 
• School Social Workers 
• School Psychologists 

In-person Mental Health Clinicians 

• 9 on staff

Contracted Agencies

• Daybreak Health
• The Stepping Stones Group 
• UNCG Psychology Clinic

Community Partnerships

• The AYA Center
• Envisons of Life
• Kellin Foundation
• Top Priority Care Services
• Wrights Care Services

 

The PRISM Project  

 

The Prioritizing Resources to Impact Student Mental Health (PRISM) Project was created in response to the increased need for on-demand mental health services in schools. It is a five-year $14.8 million federal School-Based Mental Health Services grant awarded to Guilford County Schools by the Department of Education to help expand on-demand mental health services across the district.  

  

Goals ~ Between January 2023 and December 2028, the PRISM Project will:  

• Create a new school-based mental health service (SBMHS) position in GCS, Mental Health Clinician, whose primary role is to provide direct services to students 
• Fill at least 16 Mental Health Clinician positions with diverse candidates 
• Increase GCS’ current number of SBMHS providers (counselors, psychologists and social workers) who are state-licensed 
• Improve the ratios of counselors, psychologists and social workers serving students 
• Develop a district-wide data-based referral process for students to receive SBMH services 
• Increase the number of direct SBMH services provided 
• Improve academic outcomes and/or reduce the behavioral incidents for students receiving services  

 

Recent Successes (as of early November 2023) 

• Hired 12 new licensed school-based mental health service (SBMHS) providers  

• 5 GCS mental health clinicians and 7 contract mental health clinicians  

• Developed a district-wide referral process for SBMH services that is data-based and focused on student need  
• Created universal counseling forms as a result of the new referral process that were adopted by all SISP providers in the district  

 

 

Data Highlights (as of early November 2023)