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Synergy wellness montgomery mall6/29/2023 ![]() Moving forward, we must also ensure that the present barriers to accessing these resources, from insufficient publicity to the stigma surrounding mental health, are eliminated to ensure true equity in access.” ![]() I’m excited to see MCPS and our County Council taking the necessary steps to expand wellness centers in our schools, which have been a tremendous resource for so many students already. Students and staff cannot focus on making up lost instruction from the pandemic when we are struggling to manage depression, anxiety or any number of mental health conditions, which is why our well-being must be a priority for the school system. “After almost two years of isolation and increased incidents of in-school violence and student self-harm, the calls from our students for increased mental health support are loud and clear,” said Montgomery County Student Member of the Board of Education Hana O’Looney. “Educational performance and student mental health are inextricable. The expansion of these services will ultimately benefit our entire community.” ![]() “The wellness centers also take a holistic approach to cultivating future leaders, promoting positive relationships and they provide social services to our students and families. This will provide MCPS with the ability to offer increased medical care and counseling so that our students can be more prepared to access the quality teaching and learning they deserve,” said Montgomery County Board of Education President Brenda Wolff. “We are encouraged by the opportunity to expand our wellness centers. The $3 million special appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget would fund implementation of mental health and positive youth development services in MCPS high schools that do not currently have a wellness center. The $2 million special appropriation to the FY22 Capital Budget and amendment to the FY21-26 CIP would provide funding to begin planning and initial build out of interior modifications for the expansion of HSWCs to every high school. ![]() The $3 million special appropriation to the FY22 Capital Budget and amendment to the FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) will support relocatable classrooms needed to provide additional space in schools to implement expanded mental health and positive youth development services. After such loss and instability facing our students the past couple of years, wellness centers will offer therapeutic services to propel them toward success and safeguard public health for our County residents.” “By investing in mental health supports and positive youth development opportunities, the expansion of our wellness centers will serve as a place of healing and growth for our students. “Nothing is more important than the well-being of our children, our youth and our families,” Council President Gabe Albornoz said. I look forward to working with my colleagues to put in place funding for the long term that implements permanent wellness centers in every high school.” “Today, I am proud of the full Council’s approval of the necessary funds for relocatable classrooms, retrofitting spaces, staff and other supports to install interim wellness centers in each MCPS high school. This groundbreaking initiative would set up interim wellness centers immediately using existing spaces and relocatable classrooms as we work to stand up the permanent facilities over a five-year period,” said Councilmember Navarro, who is chair of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee and a member of the Education and Culture Committee. “In January, I proposed the establishment of a well-staffed and resourced wellness center in every high school in Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools that would provide a safe and welcoming space for all our students. ROCKVILLE, Md., April 19, 2022-Spearheaded by Councilmember Nancy Navarro, the Montgomery County Council passed a package of three special appropriations today, totaling $8 million, to expand High School Wellness Centers (HSWCs) to every high school in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The package of special appropriations, spearheaded by Councilmember Navarro, totals $8 million ![]() For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 ![]()
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