Community Mental Health Provider in 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.

In 1996 the H/W Department piloted the “Community Mental Health Provider in the Schools (CMHPS)” program in the Albuquerque High School Cluster. The initial intent was to increase mental health resources and services at the school sites in the cluster. This pilot model of service was aligned under and managed by the Health and Wellness Department’s Comprehensive Services Unit in SY 2002.

Site-Based Community Mental Health Provider Services

The CMHPS offer 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.

The contracted providers (therapists/counselors and case managers) are assigned to participating school sites to function as part of the school’s site-based mental health resources. The CMHPS can work up to 20 hours per week and have office space at the school sites, and can be core members of the school’s H/MHT.

All student/family referrals for their services are generated through the school’s H/MHT referral process. There are approximately ninety-five school sites participating in the CMHPS program.