October 28, 2024
For Immediate Release
CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org
UPPER MARLBORO, MD — Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) students will have access to more critical mental health and wellness resources for the 2024-2025 school year, thanks to a $25 million grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission through the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports.
The funding will enable PGCPS to partner with 18 organizations, strategically supplementing the district’s current behavioral health services to provide students with enhanced access to mental health support.
"We are grateful for this new funding, which will allow PGCPS to enhance mental health and wellness resources across the district, ensuring all students have access to vital services,” said Superintendent Millard House II. “Leveraging the expertise of our partners, we can ensure that every student has access to the support they need to thrive academically and emotionally."
Partner organizations will supplement current services provided by PGCPS professional school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and mental health clinicians to bridge gaps in behavioral health services, with an emphasis on crisis intervention, mental wellness education, and student access to professional care.
Key Highlights of the Expansion:
Hazel Health will continue offering free virtual physical and mental health support to all PGCPS students, accessible both at school and from home. With a diverse team of licensed providers and proven impact on student attendance and behavior, Hazel Health’s services are available year-round.
iMind Behavioral Health introduces a dedicated youth-based mobile response team to assist students in crisis, providing immediate stabilization and ongoing support, along with training for school staff in mental health first aid and de-escalation techniques.
Uneo Health offers a free self-care app, Prosper, for PGCPS high school students and all staff, featuring mood tracking, habit tracking, and a range of self-care tools and resources.
AprilMay, Inc and the Reginald S. Lourie Center will focus on early childhood and developmental supports, including intervention for intellectual and developmental disabilities, ASD testing, and parent education.
Sheppard Pratt will add to their current team of 34 school-based clinicians to provide additional individual and family therapy, early intervention groups, case management, psychiatric services, and a summer program to schools.
Spectrum of Hope will provide family support and navigation services for children and youth with behavioral health and neurodiversity needs.
Luminis Health will provide school-wide preventative and mental health literacy programming in addition to individual and family navigation and case management services.
Community Advocates for Family & Youth, Inc. (CAFY) and EveryMind, Inc. will offer individual, family, and group therapy, along with community education and training to foster mental health and well-being among students and families.
Healthlinics will deliver comprehensive in-school and off-site services including behavioral health screening, care coordination, and social-emotional learning.
Kristin's Care, LLC and Transitions Counseling and Mentoring Services Inc. will provide support groups, one-on-one interventions, and therapeutic services across a range of schools.
Hyacinth Wellness will focus on substance use disorder prevention and support, particularly for high school students, and La Clínica del Pueblo, Inc will increase mental health support and care coordination for the Latino community.
Paths for Families and SMYAL will provide specialized counseling, particularly for students in foster care and LGBTQ+ youth, respectively.
Vinecorps will offer behavioral health education, support groups, and preventative mental health programming at select high schools.
The additional services will be rolled out across schools throughout the district in the coming months, supplementing PGCPS’s existing behavioral health infrastructure.
The Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports was created in 2021 through the Blueprint for Maryland's Future to expand access to comprehensive behavioral health services for children, kindergarten through high school, in every school district in Maryland.
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