Prince George's County School Mental Health Initiative

The Prince George’s Mental Health Initiative (PGSMHI) is a partnership that was formed in September of 2006 between Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), and the University of Maryland, Center for School Mental Health. The goals are to: provide an integrated model of mental health services in the least restrictive setting, implement a full continuum of evidenced-based practices, develop a cost effective model of providing a continuum of services to students with emotional/behavioral disorders at risk for attending non-public special education programs, enhance staff competency through on-going mentoring and educational training on evidence-based practices and Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision making, establish active returnee decisions from non-public special education placements that yield continued behavioral and academic success, and enhance the current standing of the Maryland State Department of Education as a national leader in innovative special education programming. The components of the PGSMHI focus on the development of supportive youth-family relationships, decreasing risk factors and stressors for youth and families, and enhancing strengths and protective factors for youth and families through relevant interventions.

Click here to see a brochure for the Prince George's County School Mental Health Initiative.