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Budget Request School: Department: Student Services Project Title: Integrated mental health responders (8) 10 iiuitatle Ulm I lrnemmwii n�a i distn month positions g de Total Cost: $ 480,000 includes benefits ■•� . t rauma.,..... ��ior Previous Request Y/ N: No de School Year: ` -n er Amount: Funded Y /N: Amount Funded: Project Description The operational expansion of eight highly qualified student support professionals (school counselors, psychologists and social workers) to address student mental health needs during the school day, provide crisis response, and engage families and caregivers to remove barriers to academic success for over 32,000 students. Background & Justification / Status There is a growing number of students in Cabarrus County schools with significant mental health needs. Based on the U.S. Surgeon General's 2000 Report, 1 in 5 students will experience a significant mental health problem during their school years, with approximately 70% of them never receiving appropriate mental health services. In GCS, this means that the expected number of students enrolled in Cabarrus County Schools with unmet mental health needs is 4,480 (assuming a population of 32,000 students). Counselors, Social Workers and Psychologists are stretched to the point of not being able to respond to all of the mental health needs. And we currently have only one setting that offers mental health programming for 12 elementary students with highly restrictive criteria. As a direct result of the lack of available student support staff to respond to the mental health needs of these students, they often display disruptive behaviors impacting the entire classroom, leading to discipline referrals, increased suspensions and referrals for alternative settings or modified school day. It is important to note that alternative placement options are not staffed to offer additional mental health support, nor do these alternative placements encourage participation with their general education peers. In order to successfully return to an academic learning environment these students require support in learning to manage their symptoms, increase emotional coping skills and improve self- regulation. With increased psycho - social support to these students we expect decreased classroom disruption, increased exposure to direct instruction and improved academic performance. By taking an integrated approach across the disciplines the unified staff will provide more comprehensive and efficient services to students and schools. Our highly trained mental health professionals are capable of providing these services directly, however, current capacity issues impact their accessibility to students in need, which will only continue to grow as enrollment expands. For example, school social workers and psychologists currently provide individual coverage for up to four schools. Moreover, the current staffing ratios are well out of alignment with the nationally recommended standards for school counselors, psychologists and social workers. The inclusion of these eight positions is a vital step in beginning to address the mental health needs of our growing student population through direct services. Total cost is based off (8) positions; $42,500 plus benefits $17,500. Budget Objectives Impact on Objective Comply with laws, policies and negotiated agreements. Yes Positive impact on safety, security, health, and sanitation. High Positive Impact Positive impact on student learning experience. High Positive Impact Positive impact on the recruitment, morale, and retention of employees. High Positive Impact Positive impact on life cycle cost, ROI, replacement cycles, efficiency, sustainability, and recycling, Moderate Positive Impact Positive impact on equity. High Positive Impact Positive impact on programs to attract and retain Cabarrus County families to CCS as well High Positive Impact Positive impact on community use and involvement. High Positive Impact Impact if Delayed or Not Funded We believe that maintaining the status quo will result in continued (1) lack of academic success, (2) classroom disruptions for students with unaddressed mental health issues and their peers, and (3) unmet development of effective coping skills to manage their mental health symptoms. AjtlWent number 1 \n F -4 Page 81