DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Dawn Emerick, Ed.D
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
The San Antonio Mobile Mental Wellness Collaborative
SUMMARY:
The San Antonio Mobile Mental Wellness Collaborative is the first of its kind in the nation. It is an upstream collaborative focusing on prevention so that our public schools do not have to focus fully on intervention. Through each agency's expertise, professionals are able to work with all student age groups and meet their behavioral health needs in their own learning environment.
The collaborative care model takes the holistic approach by incorporating parents and guardians, teachers, administrative staff, and students into the mental wellness of each student. Services are offered in the schools since 80% of people who go to a mental health appointment never return because of transportation and life issues.
A sustainable business revenue model through school district funding, Medicaid, and other federal grants should allow the program to be fully sustainable after the first two years.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In March 2019, the students of South San ISD addressed their board of trustees requesting that district funds be used to provide mental health programs. The San Antonio Mobile Wellness Collaborative was formed in direct response to this overwhelming need. Each agency has financially committed to the pilot year. The Agencies include: Jewish Family Service, Family Service, Clarity Children's Guidance Center, Children's Bereavement Center, Communities in Schools, and Rise Recovery.
* Potential to reach 9000+ students who can opt-in for services through five different referral sources.
o Letters were sent to all South San students and parents
o Information provided on the School District's website
o Communities in Schools' site coordinators are in the schools identifying potential clients
o DAEP referrals
o Teachers, school counselors, and administrative staff can make referrals ...
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