School-based mental health services: The Baltimore models

Through a variety of state and local funding and administrative arrangement s, expanded school mental health (ESMH) programs have been developed in nea rly half of the 176 Baltimore City schools over the past decade. These prog rams augment existing services provided by the school and help to ensure th at a comprehensive range of services (assessment, prevention, case manageme nt, treatment) are available to youth in special and regular education. Bal timore's leadership in the emerging ESMH held led to the development of the Center for School Mental Health Assistance (CSMHA), one of two national ce nters that provide support and technical assistance to promote comprehensiv e mental health programs for youth in schools. This paper shares experience s associated with the growth of ESMH programs in Baltimore and activities a nd initiatives of the CSMHA. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons,Inc.