A Guide to Baltimore City Public School System’s Mental Health and Health Care Services Developed by the Center for School Mental Health 3/2008 Introduction This directory was developed by Dr. Nancy Lever, Carrie Bacon, Sylvia McCree-Huntley, Kerri Stiegler, Aya Ghunney, Christina Daly, Tanya Bryant, and faculty and staff at the Center for School Mental Health (CSMH) within the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The CSMH is collaborating with the Maryland Transformation Grant on a school mental health and foster care project designed to better integrate mental health services and improve outcomes for youth in Maryland’s foster care system. When compared to the general population, youth in foster care are more likely to experience mental health problems, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder. In a recent study of children and adolescents who had previously been in foster care, 54% had one or more mental health problems in the previous year, compared to 22% of the general population. Twenty-five percent of these youth reported symptoms consistent with post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); remarkably this represents a figure that is twice the rate of PTSD in U.S. war veterans. Even when compared to other children living in “high-risk” environments (e.g., poverty, instability, caregivers with high levels of stress), children and adolescents in foster care are more likely to have mental health problems or learning disabilities. School mental health services offer significant opportunities to intervene with foster care youth through a full continuum of mental health services, including individual, family, and group counseling, assessment, teacher consultation and professional development, classroom and school-wide prevention and mental health promotion activities. Providing easy to access, effective prevention and intensive mental health treatment options for youth in foster care is an imperative. Schools offer a logical place for many youth in foster care to receive necessary mental health care. While there are excellent mental health resources and services available within schools, it can be challenging for individuals and programs outside of the school setting to understand what services are available and how to access these services. In an effort to enhance communication links between child welfare staff and school-based mental health and health related staff, the CSMH has created a directory to assist child welfare staff and others interested in better navigating the Baltimore City Public School System’s mental health and health related services. This guide includes a listing of all Baltimore City Public Schools by school number and for each school lists the following: phone number, address, principal’s name; IEP and Team support personnel; school counselors, psychologists, social workers, expanded school mental health staff, and school-based health centers. When available, names and phone numbers are provided for each of these categories. While school health services are not specifically listed for each school, please note that each school has a school nurse or health provider that is available to assist students with health needs. If you are interested in such services, please call the individual school and ask to speak with the school nurse/health provider. This directory is designed for use by the child welfare worker and serves to streamline the process of connecting with education, mental health, and health service personnel within Baltimore City Public Schools. Please be aware that this is only a general list that is as accurate as current lists of providers that were given by the respective agencies and programs involved. We are aware that names of staff members will change. In contacting the school if an individual staff person is no longer at a school, please ask if you can speak with that person’s replacement. The development of this directory represents an attempt by the CSMH to improve the navigation of mental health and health services available within the Baltimore City Public School System in the hopes of improving access to mental health services for youth in foster care. For questions, comments, or updates regarding this directory, please contact Dr. Nancy Lever at [email protected]. Funding to support resource development is also provided in part by the Office of Adolescent Health, Maternal, and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (Project # U45 MC00174) and by the Maryland Mental Health Transformation Grant # 5 U79 SM57459-02 from SAMHSA. The views expressed on this website and materials within it, do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Glossary of Services Available: The following highlights what is meant by each of the services or terms listed within the directory. Expanded School Mental Health (ESMH) Expanded school mental health services are provided by 13 different outpatient mental health centers partnering through the Baltimore City ESMH network to offer a full continuum of school- based mental health services. Services offered include: individual, family, and group therapy; consultation; prevention groups, classroom, and school-wide activities, mental health promotion, staff development, crisis management, and participation and active involvement on school teams. The outpatient centers are often associated with universities and hospital programs or may be free-standing programs. ESMH programs are characterized by strong school-family-community partnerships. Mental health services and programming is available to children and adolescents in both general and special education, with a particular focus on youth in general education. Individualized Education Program (IEP) – A written description of the special education and related services for a student with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised by the student’s IEP team. [20 U.S.C. §1414(d); 34 C.F.R. §§300.320 - 300.328] IEP Team The group of individuals responsible for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities; developing, reviewing, or revising an IEP for a student with a disability; and determining the placement of a student with a disability in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The team may also include, at the discretion of the parent or the local school system, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise about the student. [20 U.S.C. §1414(d) (1) (B)-(d) (1) (D); 34 C.F.R. §§300.321] IEP Team Associate IEP Team Associate must possess a Masters Degree in Education or closely related field. Under the direction of the Principal and in collaboration with the Office of Technical Support for IEP Teams, the IEP Team Associate provides assistance and serves as an equal core member of an IEP team. The IEP Associate is responsible for implementing Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) policies and procedures pertaining to students with disabilities and is familiar with federal and state legislation that guide the administration of programs for students with disabilities. School-Based Health Centers In addition to school-based health services, there are fourteen School-Based Health Centers administered by the Baltimore City Health Department, which offer primary health care, health education, and mental health care. Substance abuse services are available at eleven sites. School Counselor School counselors hold a master’s degree in school counseling, guidance counseling, education or a closely-related field, and are certified by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). They may hold a valid certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) or be licensed as a graduate counselor (LGPC) or as a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC). They are responsible for counseling (classroom, group, and personal), consulting, interpreting assessments and appraisals, disseminating accurate and timely information, contributing to decisions regarding placement services, and coordinating these services for all students in grades K-12. Services provided by school counselors help students 1) demonstrate personal and academic growth, 2) make appropriate educational and career decisions, and 3) have productive interactions with others. They also serve on the school improvement team, advisory committees, and pupil services teams; while providing staff development and consultation for faculty, parents, and the community. They are advocates for all students. School Health Services (The contact person for health services for each school is not listed in the directory. If you are interested in school health services, please call the school’s main number and ask to speak with the school nurse or health aide.) The Baltimore City Health Department School Health Programs provide school health services in every Baltimore City Public School. Those services include, but are not limited to: medication administration, health screening for hearing and vision, care for students with chronic health conditions, first aid, emergency response, communicable disease surveillance, immunization record review and health education. School Psychologist School psychologists hold either a master’s degree, advanced graduate specialist’s or doctoral degree in psychology, education or human development,