Since 1989, Center for Human Services (CHS) has provided mental health services in Stanislaus County. Last year, the Integrated Mental Health Program (IMHP) made positive changes to how the Behavioral Health program operates to better serve students at school sites. Removing barriers to treatment helps make services more accessible.

Former CHS Executive Director, Cindy Duenas, was the visionary behind the Integrated Mental Health Program. The IMHP allows clinicians to be stationed at a school site and provide mental health services regardless of insurance or severity level, benefiting students and families. Cross-training clinicians and combining funding sources enable them to treat more students. This program is made possible through the partnership with Stanislaus County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), local school districts, and managed care plans. Mark Herbst, Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services at Modesto City Schools shares, “Our kids benefit. It is a tremendous benefit to our families, being able to offer that level of support on a school campus.” 

Prior to the IMHP, services were divided by severity of diagnosis, insurance type, and available grants. Clinicians would receive referrals for students they could not see, and they would have to refer them elsewhere, often creating transportation challenges for families. Another barrier students and families faced before the IMHP was that if a student’s level of severity changed, they had to switch to a different provider. This meant starting the treatment process all over again, which often caused confusion and discouraged them from continuing services. 

As the Integrated Mental Health Program begins its second year, CHS continues to meet families where they are by offering accessible mental health services. We have 29 cross-trained clinicians across the county stationed at schools, ready to serve any student who needs support. Last fiscal year, the IMHP served 1,218 students. 

In the coming year, CHS, along with Modesto City Schools and Riverbank Unified School District, will join Cohort 4 of the California Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a new effort that will allow school providers to bill for additional insurance types and further expand access. 

To learn more about mental health services near you, contact your local school site. 

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