FHSD Mental Health Partnership Is Expanding Access to Care
Forest Hills School District will kick-off the new school year with an updated agreement with its long-standing mental health treatment partner that will greatly expand access to services for students across the district.
FHSD and Child Focus have partnered for several years to offer school-based mental health services to students. Under a new contract for the 2024-2025 school year, those opportunities for treatment or support will now be available to all students through an open referral process. This expansion of services also results in a reduced overall cost to the school district.
“Forest Hills School District is pleased to be able to expand and enhance our partnership with Child Focus to be able to better serve all students,” FHSD Superintendent Larry Hook said.
“We understand that students all across this country are facing growing challenges and struggles related to mental health and wellness,” FHSD Assistant Superintendent Kim Tinsley said. “This partnership helps us continue to improve the way we connect students and families with this critical resource.”
This change comes in addition to a variety of school-based programs and services related to mental health or overall student wellness. FHSD staff and administrators work tirelessly to provide necessary opportunities and support to help all students develop positive mental health practices and support anyone who may be struggling, but for whom mental health counseling might not be the right option. You can learn more about some of those programs here.
The changes to the district’s partnership with Child Focus are intended to be an additional step to expand the existing support network for students, helping them achieve success in the classroom and preparing them to excel after graduation. By offering access to services during the school day, the district enables students to receive care in the comfort of a natural setting. This eliminates or reduces potential barriers such as transportation and busy family schedules, making it easier and more likely for families to be able to follow-through with services if they wish.
“Child Focus prides itself on being a veteran 15-year mental health provider for FHSD,” Child Focus CEO/President Pamela Lindeman said. “It is our priority to recognize the needs of each school community we serve and collaboratively design responsive programming to the emerging needs of the community. We are committed to assisting all students and their families with school-linked or community-based resources, as this new open access/referral process evolves. Child Focus is poised to continue to create a future of wellness and health in Forest Hills School District and beyond. We are energized by our strong partnership and ready to implement.”
One of the key changes to the new agreement with Child Focus is the open referral process. This adjustment will now allow any parent, or any student with the parent’s permission, to request services if they believe mental health therapy would be beneficial to the student. The new partnership is also designed to be more flexible, allowing a larger number of students to be served than had been possible previously. Additionally, families who receive school-based therapy through Child Focus will utilize their personal health insurance coverage to pay for treatment moving forward.
FHSD leadership looked to revise the agreement with Child Focus based on a detailed assessment conducted by MindPeace, a local organization dedicated to improving systems to better support mental health outcomes. This assessment included feedback and perspective from students, staff, administrators and district families, which demonstrated, in part, a need to expand access to school-based therapy and other services for students across the school district.
“MindPeace’s Mission is to ensure that every child and adolescent has access to an effective system of mental health and wellness,” Nicole Pfirman, MindPeace’s Director of School Based Mental Health Systems, said. “In collaboration with FHSD, MindPeace was able to conduct a thorough review of the current systems in place, gain stakeholder input, and make recommendations to the district to improve student mental health and wellness.”
The district has been in contact with families who currently have a student receiving services to ensure there is a smooth transition under the changing agreement with Child Focus. Any families who believe their student may be in need of school-based mental health therapy prior to the school year starting can reach out directly to Child Focus for information on registration paperwork by calling (513) 752-1555, emailing info@child-focus.org or visiting its office located at 4633-A Aicholtz Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Once school has started, please contact your student’s educator or administrator for a referral. Upon completion of registration paperwork, parents and guardians will be contacted for an intake appointment based on clinician availability.
It is important to note that the level of care is individualized for each student with an emphasis on finding meeting times that allow them to keep up with all the critical components of their education in school. Providing school-based mental health care allows for an integrated approach where students, families, school staff and therapists work together collaboratively to meet the needs of the individual child.
About Child Focus
The mission of Child Focus is to join with communities in improving the quality of life for children, families and adults. Child Focus is a leader in the industries of early childhood and behavioral health by creating responsive and innovative programs in collaboration with individuals, families, community agencies and institutions. Our early care and education, prevention and treatment programs improve coping mechanisms, provide support, promote school readiness and success and encourage growth and self-sufficiency for the children, families and adults in our community. Learn more by visiting https://www.child-focus.org/
About MindPeace
MindPeace is a non-profit organization working with close to 240 schools and 23 community Mental Health agencies across Southwest Ohio. MindPeace works together with community partners to continue the development and implementation of a seamless system of mental health support for children and adolescents, with a focus on school-based, stakeholder-selected partnerships. MindPeace is dedicated to fostering systemic improvements to children’s mental health by increasing access to care and the quality of services provided. Learn more by visiting https://mindpeacecincinnati.com/
