School Based Health Centers (SBHC), Behavioral Health Therapist

School Based Health Centers (SBHC), Behavioral Health services seek to improve well-being among students with mental health concerns, enhance school environments for all students, and support an integrated and responsive health system. SBHCs expand the school’s continuum of mental health supports so that all of our students can be college, career, and community ready. This vision is built on a partnership among community-based organizations dedicated to nurturing a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and school-linked system of mental health practices and supports.

SBHCs, Behavioral Health programming focuses on addressing students’ unmet mental health needs. The program integrates mental health therapists into the schools, where they provide individual treatment year-round to students who are experiencing barriers to accessing community-based mental health care. Therapists actively collaborate with the Student Services team (e.g., work closely with school-based SBHC coordinator, attend Student Services meetings, etc.). Approximately 80% of the therapist’s time is spent delivering reimbursable services. The remaining time is focused on care management, collaboration/coordination with school-based staff, and school staff consultations.

The SBHC therapist is a licensed mental health provider who delivers primarily individual behavioral health interventions and occasionally may offer group interventions that reflect a culturally responsive approach that facilitates the connection of students and families with their ‘natural supports’, strengths, and culturally specific resources. Interventions are time-effective and responsive to the changing needs of the student and school community. SBHC therapists work with school staff so they have a better understanding of how to support students with mental health concerns. SBHC therapists are also a bridge to healthcare, homes, community- based mental health resources, and intensive mental health interventions that are indicated (i.e., referrals). This program is modeled after a successful national model that reflects best practices in expanded school-based mental health.

We currently have in-person, on-site SBHC therapists in 2 of our four comprehensive high schools. The purpose of this RFP is to continue the program in MMSD’s additional 2 comprehensive high schools. Applicants must apply to provide an in-person, on-site 1.0 FTE behavioral health therapist at Madison East High School and an in-person, on-site 1.0 FTE therapist at Vel Phillips Memorial High School.