Denver Health is expanding its school-based health centers within Denver Public Schools in response to rising mental health crises among students. Mental health professionals report seeing more students in crisis and at younger ages than ever before, prompting a shift in service delivery to meet growing demand.
Denver Public Schools (DPS) reports increasing mental health needs across all student populations, with particular concern about rising severity and acuity among younger children. Meredith Fatseas, DPS director of mental health and student well-being, noted that “school social workers and school psychologists are mental health providers in our schools. They are overwhelmed.” The district conducts universal screening of all students for behavioral and social-emotional needs and has observed increases not just in the number of students seeking help but in the seriousness of their needs. Mental health challenges include anxiety, depression, behavioral outbursts, and school avoidance.
Currently, Denver Health operates school-based health centers in 19 schools across the district, providing both physical and behavioral healthcare. Last year, Denver Health’s Therapeutic Response and Urgent Stabilization Team saw more than 500 visits, with referrals for children as young as 7—a dramatic increase. Danielle Vice, Denver Health director of school-based integrated behavioral health services, attributed the rise to multiple factors including social media and academic pressures.
The new tiered model will expand services to meet students with mild behavioral health issues while continuing to serve those with more acute and chronic needs, shifting from a crisis-focused approach to preventing crises. Nearly 90% of students receiving treatment show improvement in school attendance, with decreases in safety needs and other positive behavioral health changes. Any DPS student can access the school-based health centers for free. Denver Public Schools and Denver Health are currently planning to open an additional school-based health center, with hopes of launching it in the 2027-2028 school year.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://us.headtopics.com/news/they-are-overwhelmed-denver-health-expands-school-based-79809180