midwest school health initiative mental health services kirk wheeler, ph.d. hspp
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Midwest School Health Initiative
Mental Health ServicesKirk Wheeler, Ph.D. HSPP
Schools and Behavioral Health
Local school corporations differ in their acceptance/ understanding of behavioral health services.
Behavioral Health providers often have no direct experience in the school setting.
There are existing school personnel who deliver behavioral health services, e.g. counselors and school psychologists.
Mental Health Service compared with School Counseling
Mental health and substance abuse services do not replace school counseling.
School personnel are primary referral source for mental health/ substance abuse services.
MH/SA services cannot be primarily “educational” and usually do not appear on IEPs.
School based MH and SA Services Prevention – substance
abuse prevention, psycho -education on suicide prevention
Acute, secondary prevention services – assessment, therapy, psychiatric evaluation, family treatment
Longer term, tertiary services – Case management, home based services, wrap around, partial hospital programs
Mental Health Services in the School
Traditional Outpatient therapy Assessment/ Neuropsych Testing Family based Services Psychiatric Services Classroom based – partial hospital and
intensive outpatient programOften school based services are coordinated with
intensive wrap around or home based programs.
Providers and Funding
Independent providers: Fee for service Community Mental Health Centers:
Medicaid and MRO School/ Provider partners: Blended
Any Indiana child who qualifies for the school lunch program should be eligible for Medicaid.
Recent Funding Changes
CMS Rules (now in moratorium) affect Medicaid funding for:
School based Administrative Claiming Case Management Medicaid Rehabilitation Intergovernmental Transfers
Indiana Providers
18 of the 30 Indiana CMHCs have some sort of school based services.
Services include – individual and group therapy, family therapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, case management, assistance with activities of daily living, etc.
Basis of relationship
Informal, school by school Informal, at the school corporation level Formal, contractual for school presence Formal, Specific contracted services
within a school health clinic
Mental Health in the School
Over 374 Indiana schools have mental health services in the school.
All 92 counties have access to school referred services through their CMHC.
Challenges and Opportunities
Co-location with primary health, especially FQHCs.
Integration around “medical” care, e.g. tele-psychiatry and medication monitoring.
Re-establishment of school personnel providing Medicaid services.
Contact Information
Kirk E. Wheeler, PhD – HSPP
Director of Clinical Operations
InteCare, Inc.
317 237-5776