On November 21, 2000 the Martin County School Board entered the Martin County School District into a collaborative agreement with Suncoast Mental Health Center, Inc. and Parent-Child Center, Inc.  This collaborative arrangement will allow Parent-Child Center, Inc. and Suncoast Mental Health, Inc. to provide case management and mental health therapy to Martin County School District students on school campus at no cost to the school district.  This collaborative arrangement will allow both ESE and general education students and families to receive mental health services on their regular school campus through Medicaid billing.  Prior to this arrangement, Mental Health Services were provided to ESE students only under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  The IDEA grant will continue to provide support to ESE students that do not qualify for Medicaid. 

This agreement was developed after many hours of discussion with Judy Wakeman, Project Manager, SEDNET, the Multiagency Network for Students with Severe Emotional Disturbance; Dr. Ted Williams, Executive Director, and Athena Scotes, Director of Programming for Suncoast Mental Health, Inc.; Shirley Quinnell-Friedlander, Clinical Director for Parent-Child Center, Inc. and Maryellen Quinn-Lunny, Coordinator of Exceptional Student Education for the Martin County School District.  The collaborative arrangement was modeled after the agreement between Challenger School and Parent-Child Center, Inc. as well as Dale Cassens in St. Lucie County and Parent-Child Center, Inc. 

The School District and Agencies are very excited by this agreement.  The team of professionals working together on coordinating this collaborative are hoping that by offering these services, (1) ESE students needs can be met on their home school campus and, (2) general education students that are in the referral process or having emotional difficulty can be maintained in the general education program.  It also allows for more effective use of limited grant and Medicaid monies to meet the mental health needs of students and families in Martin County. 

The collaborative has targeted four pilot schools for the 2000-2001 school year:  Martin County High School, Murray Middle School, Pinewood Elementary and Stuart Middle School. 

Murray Middle School is the first school to enjoy the additional support staff.  Murray Middle, as of November 22, 2000, has two new staff members.  A case manager provided by Parent-Child Study Center and a mental health therapist provided by Suncoast Mental Health Center, Inc.  Martin County High School, is the next school slated to receive additional mental health support through the Mental Health Collaborative.  Pinewood Elementary and Stuart Middle School are expected to receive additional staff through the collaborative in the Spring. 

The principals and staff of the targeted schools Mr. David George, Principal, Murray Middle School; Ms. Joanne Hunt, Principal, Martin County High School; Ms. Cecelia Hysmith, Principal, Pinewood Elementary and Ms. Sigrid George, Principal at Stuart Middle School have been extremely supportive and have worked cooperatively with District and Agency staff to provide space and assist in developing referral procedures and notifying parents. 

Thank you to all involved in the Martin County Mental Collaborative for working cooperatively and creatively to meet students mental health needs in an efficient and effective manner. 

Submitted by:

Maryellen Quinn-Lunny

Exceptional Student Education Coordinator

If you have questions about the Mental Health Collaborative: Western Zone please call Maryellen Quinn Lunny at 772-219-1200 extension 30426