Clark County schools to provide mental health services via contract with agency that can bill Medicaid or private insurance

Facing a surge in behavioral health cases among students, the Clark County Board of Education has contracted with a mental-health agency services for all preschool through high school students in the district.

Mountain Comprehensive Care will place a mental health therapist in every school to address issues immediately, at no cost to the district, Whitney Leggett reports for The Winchester Sun: “In the past three years, the district has seen the number of students in the home-hospital program because of mental-health issues surpass those with physical ailments.”

Greg Hollon, director of pupil personnel and support services, told Leggett, “Previously, about 80 percent of home-hospital students were for physical ailments and 20 percent for mental. Fast forward a couple of years later, and that has switched to 65 percent mental, 35 percent physical.”

Hollon said the therapists at each school will help the district stay on top of problems. “This puts someone in the buildings full time to be there to address issues as they occur,” rather than requiring staff to call Mountain or some other agency.

Mountain, based in Prestonsburg, is able to provide the service without charge because it can bill Medicaid or private insurance.