During the Sweetwater Union High School District board meeting on Oct.11, Chief of Educational Equity Support Services, Dr. Vernon Moore recognized Oct. 10 as World Mental Health Day and presented an agreement with San Diego County’s Mental Health Services Department that will continue to provide outpatient services for students.
This agreement increases the amount of funding from San Diego County to increase the capacity of services offered at the Sweetwater Outpatient Clinic. San Diego County will provide $508,125 for Mental Health programs support and operations. “We are living in an unprecedented time regardless of your cultural beliefs, political affiliations, or your medical ideologies. This last year and a half have been extraordinarily challenging and have affected all of us in our lives,” Dr. Moore said.
This additional funding will support a full range of outpatient diagnostic and treatment services at designated school sites for students who experience Severe Emotional Disturbances (SED) and are Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
The provision of the federal law is known as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) mandate for supplemental services. According to the district, federal law and regulations require that all full-scope, Medi-Cal eligible beneficiaries receive medically necessary services, as permitted by federal law, for the purpose of correcting or ameliorating an illness or condition, including mental illness.
"Paying close attention to our mental health and maintaining our wellbeing are essential activities,” Vernon said. “This agreement symbolizes just one aspect of the many many efforts to support the mental health and wellness of our students and staff”.
