District Expands Investment in Mental Health Services for Students, Staff
Board approves vendors, personnel to provide therapeutic services

Greensboro, N.C. – Continuing programs launched during the 2022-23 school year, Guilford County Schools extended contracts to four mental health service providers for the 2023-24 school year to expand services provided to students and staff.

On Tuesday, the school board approved new contracts for four vendors – Daybreak, Peculiar Counseling, Stepping Stone Group and E-Therapy LLC. These providers will be used for in-person and virtual therapy, funded by a $14.8 million School-Based Mental Health Grant and federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. Each vendor has a different approach to service, and clients will be matched to the resource that best fits their individual needs.

“Strengthening mental Health is a top priority in the district’s new strategic direction. We know students learn best when they feel safe, seen and supported,” says Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley. “Our district, like other districts across the country, is seeing an increase in student mental health needs. We must do more to improve mental health supports for our students so we are making a concerted effort for significant and timely investments to address the impact the pandemic had on student and staff mental health by building on the success of our previously established programs started with federal pandemic relief funds and continuing our commitment to this ongoing work.”

On-demand therapy for students and staff launched in winter of the 2022-23 school year. Since that time, 1,538 students received 8,250 sessions of therapy, and 294 staff received 2,214 sessions. At Tuesday’s meeting, the board also approved the hiring of four new mental health clinicians as part of the School-Based Mental Health Services grant.