Title and Board Action Requested
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Approve the Hernando County school District Mental Health Plan for the 2022-2023 School Year
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Executive Summary
The Director of Student Services, on behalf of the Superintendent of Schools, hereby requests the Hernando county School Board approve the Hernando County School district 2022-2023 Mental Health Assistance Application (MHAA), which is comprised of two (2) sections: 1) Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and 2) Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan (MHAAP).
Final directive requirements as well as the allocated amount for the 2022-2023 Mental Health Assistance Allocations has been increased from $1,018,593.00 to $1,240,537.00 for the 2022-2023 school year. This increase has been absorbed due to the increase in salaries, insurance cost, etc. As of the upload of the Mental Health Board Agenda item the Department of Education has not provided the 22-23 allocated budget for the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training. The current plan is based on last years amount of $26,180.
As of January 21 7.5% of staff were trained in YMHFA. As of June 30, 2022 this percentage has increased to 13.14% staff trained and by the end of July 2022 the percentage of staff trained will be 23.62%. In compliance with House Bill 899, 80% of school personnel must be trained and receive certification in the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training. This portion of the application outlines the plan to achieve this with additional funding from the Mental Health Assistance Allocation once the YMHFA budget has been utilized.
Senate Bill 7030 requires all school districts to review, approve and submit Board approved plans for compliance with the SB7030 to the commissioner of education by August 1 of each year.
The MHAA provides funding to assist school districts in establishing or expanding school-based mental health services as part of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process. The MHAA provides funding to assist school districts in establishing or expanding school-based mental healthcare. SB7030 amended the MHAA, in part, to ensure that each Florida public school year and continuing for the 2022-2023 school year. The Mental Health professionals focus will be training educators and other school staff in mental health awareness, supports, practices, and connecting children, youth and families who experience behavioral health issues with appropriate school based and community services. Each School Districts MHAA plan must include all district schools including charter schools. Hernando County Schools includes three charter schools, BEST Academy, Gulf Coast Charter School and Gulf Coast Elementary Schools. All charter schools have elected to follow the Hernando Schools YMHFA and Mental Health plan for the 2022-2023 school year.
The Florida Department of Education Bureau of Student Support Services has updated the Mental Health Plan document and has combined it with the Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) plan for training and implementation.
The updated Mental Health assistance allocation plan is focused on increasing access to mental health services by providing a Social Worker per site.
In addition, to continue to improve the mental health referral process, a social worker referral link will continue to be available for all stakeholders (Appendix B). This link will automatically notify the school social worker of a social worker referral(with parental consent) as well as create a mental health- tracking database to monitor compliance with the SB7030 required timelines. SB7030 requires a timeline for students to be assessed/screened within 15 days of receipt of the referral. The attached Decision Chart provides the process in compliance with SB7030 and one of the assurances for the MHAAP.
In 2021-2022, the MHAA allocated funds from the state of Florida was $1,018,593.00. These funds continue to be allocated to expand on mental health services by increasing staff to provide direct services. The allocated funds for the 2022-2023 school year is $1,240,537.00.
The MHAA also provides funding for mental health trainings including but not limited to state conferences for school based mental health professionals. A portion of the MHAA funds is allocated for contracted services in high need schools.
The MHAA Plan has also included in compliance with legislative updates the following that require a school board policy or procedure established:
e. District schools and local mobile response teams use the same suicide screening instrument approved by FDOE pursuant to s. 1012.583, F.S., and Rule 6A-40010, Florida Administrative Code. The approved screeners are: the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T) and the SAFE-T with C-SSRS.
f. Assisting a mental health services provider or a behavioral health provider as described in s. 1011.62, F.S., respectively, or a school resource officer or a school safety officer who has completed mental health crisis intervention training in attempting to verbally deescalate a student’s crisis situation before initiating an involuntary examination.
g. The requirement that in a student crisis situation, the school or law enforcement personnel must make a reasonable attempt to contact a mental health professional who may initiate an involuntary examination pursuant to s. 394.463,F.S., unless the child poses an imminent danger to self or others before initiating an involuntary examination . Such contact may be in person or using telehealth. The mental health professional may be available to the school district either by contracts or interagency agreements with the managing entity, one or more local community behavioral health providers, or the local mobile response team, or be a direct or contracted school district employee. Note: All initiated involuntary examinations located on school grounds, on school transportation or at a school sponsored activity must be documented in the Involuntary Examinations and Restraint and Seclusion (IERS) platform.
h. Parents of students receiving services are provided information about other behavioral health services available through the student’s school or local community-based behavioral health service providers. Schools may meet this requirement by providing information about and internet addresses for web-based directories or guides for local behavioral health services.
My Contact
Jill Kolasa, Director
Student Services
(352) 797-7008
2018-23 Strategic Focus Area
Pillar 1: Student Achievement
Financial Impact
The cost for this agenda item is $ 1,240,537.00, see attached budget sheet. The cost for the previous fiscal year was $ 1,018,593.00.
If expenditure is not currently budgeted, this will serve as the budget amendment when Board approved. If the agenda item includes the purchase of goods or services, the funds requested are an anticipated amount and may fluctuate depending on such factors as current market conditions, product availability, additional funding sources, and the needs of the District. Should the actual cost exceed the anticipated amount, the Board approves the additional cost, after review by the superintendent, but not in excess of the funds available in the site’s approved annual budget.