Comprehensive Services

The H&W Comprehensive Services Unit manages the implementation of the APS district-wide Internal System of Care - Health/Mental Health Team Model and the Medicaid and grant funded supplemental mental health support programs and services throughout the school district.

Supplemental Mental Health Programs and Services

• Community Mental Health Provider in the Schools Program
  The Community Mental Health Provider in Schools Program offers site-based mental health services to students and their families, delivered by an independent or agency mental health provider through contractual agreements with the APS Health and Wellness Department.
• APS Counseling Services for Families
  The APS Counseling Services for Families provides counseling and other mental health supports to students and their families.
• Braided Social Work Services
  Braided Social Workers are a group of Special Education social workers who provide services to general education students and their families.
• Crossroads / Project Success / PIP Program
  Crossroads / PS is a substance abuse prevention/intervention program for high school students. The Parent Involvement Program (PIP) is an alternative to long-term student suspensions for drug and alcohol violations. Students and their parents attend an after school/evening cycle of sessions addressing: communication, facts about drugs and drug use, media literacy in regards to adolescent issues, problem solving skills, parent/teen issues, and focus on the family.

Health and Mental Health Team Model

APS has created the Health and Mental Health Team (H/MHT) model, an internal “System of Care Model” which is implemented throughout the APS district.

What is the Health and Mental Health System of Care model?
The H/MHT "System of Care" model is a strengths-based, individualized process aimed at helping students (both Regular and Special Ed.) with their unmet needs, both within and outside of the formal human services systems, while the students remain in their schools.

How do students receive services?
Through the H/MHT referral staffing process, students receive individualized services which are sensitive and responsive to their cultural differences and special or unique needs that are guided by an individualized service plan. Their families or surrogate families are full participants in all aspects of the planning and delivery of services, which are integrated with linkages between APS mental health provided services and community child-serving agencies and programs.

Who provides the services?
The core members of the APS H/MHTs are school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, school psychologists and other appropriate APS staff. Administrators participate as they are able. These individuals work in a collaborative manner to provide consultation and resources to one another, identify and assess student referrals, determine intervention plans, and monitor student progress and program outcomes. All H/MHT professionals conduct themselves according to the ethical standards and codes of conduct for their profession.

How will students benefit from these services?
Services received through the H/MHT target specific student health, mental health, and social/environmental classroom issues. Access to an array of wraparound services is coordinated by the H/MHTs.

Benefits of the H/MHT Model include: elimination of duplication and fragmentation of service delivery; consultation among service providers that allows the sharing of interventions and resources; an expansion of resources within schools and clusters, and a reduction of H/MH service provider burnout.