1. Decision Analysis for Selection of Behavioral Health Provider
Dr. Jeffrey S. Wilson
Director of Operations
October 20, 2016

2. Huntsville City Schools Will Partner with a Behavioral Health Provider to Cover Behavioral Health Needs Across the District
Wellstone and The Enrichment Center (Eagle Counseling) are candidates being considered
Evaluation criteria are
Cost per therapist
Speed of implementation
Credentials of therapists (degrees and licenses)
Familiarity with the District
The District will set a date at which individual principals will cease coordinating with NOVA directly and begin submitting requests for behavioral health services thru the BLN
The chosen behavioral health provider will send monthly data updates to the Director of Counseling Services that will include
Total number of students served (district wide, by feeder pattern, by school)
Breakout of services by type (district wide, by feeder pattern, by school)
Case load through-put (cases opened, closed, and in-process district wide, by feeder pattern, by school)
Case load backlog (age, district wide, by feeder pattern, by school)

3. There are Several Assumptions to be Considered in the Selection of a Behavioral Health Provider
The immediate need for a therapist at HCT will be first priority
One therapist is needed full time at each high school
Finance can support any of the considered courses of action
The provider could provide a therapist as early as Oct 17, 2016
HCS may use a combination of providers simultaneously

4. Two Behavioral Health Providers Have Been Considered by HCS
Nova
Medicaid-based services
Existing presence in 22 HCS schools
Currently coordinating services thru individual school principals and families
Nova therapists operate in several schools apiece
Can initially implement 3 therapists immediately, with ability to scale to 6 by Jan 2017
Eagle
Fee based (Eagle charges district flat fee per therapist)
Existing presence in one HCS school (Ridgecrest)
Highly praised by Madison City Schools (Dee Fowler & Robby Parker)
Provided services after Discovery Middle School shooting in Madison
Proven record of successful integration of therapists into individual school cultures
Can initially implement 1 therapist immediately, with ability to scale to 6 by Jan 2017

5. HCS Staff Recommends Eagle Based Upon Evaluation of Several Facts to be Considered in the Selection of a Behavioral Health Provider
HCS Senior staff recommend that Nova continue operating in its current capacity at the 22 schools it is serving. At a date set by the Superintendent, Nova services will be allocated thru the BLN. HCS Senior staff recommend that Eagle emplace one therapist as soon as possible at HCT, followed by the emplacement of one therapist at each high school as soon as possible, in the following order of priority: Jemison, HHS, Grissom, Lee, Columbia. Although the scalability of Eagle is slower than that of Nova, the empirical evidence of the Eagle ability to embed into a school culture is a factor that outweighed speed of implementation in the view of HCS Senior staff. HCS Senior staff is confident that Nova and Eagle will be able to work together in the District, with Nova willing to scale below the high school level if requested.

7. Student Support Enhancements
Dr. Jeffrey S. Wilson
Director of Operations
October 20, 2016

8. Huntsville City Schools Provides Behavioral Health Services Across the District
MS – Level therapist based at each high school (5)
Lee HS and NCTHS share one therapist
Therapists serve schools in the feeder pattern thru BLN
Point of contact for behavioral health provider is Director of Counseling Services
High Schools use In-House Learning Centers (ILCs) as restorative, therapeutic, and academic safe spaces for student growth and development. High Schools also provide a cool-down room for individual therapeutic work
ILCs are staffed by certified collaborative teachers and Appleton aides
Director of Student Welfare provides social workers in each feeder pattern (5), working from pre-K thru 12th grade
HCS establishes a Character Development Academy (CDA) at each high school, accessed thru Behavioral Learning Guide (BLG)
Character Development Academy – use this year to develop CDA and train administrators and staff in order to implement SY

9. Huntsville City Schools Implements an Enhanced Transition Framework for Students Returning from the Alternative School
High School Principals attend BLN meeting one month before students return from alternative school to confer with BLN and alternative school principal on re-integration plan and schedule
Transition meeting to take place a minimum of two weeks prior to students returning to home school from alternative setting:
Develop “Steps to Success” contract
Returning students attend a one to three day orientation the first week they return to their home school. Topics include:
Goal setting
Time management
Schedule orientation
Teacher orientation (each core teacher)
Individual learning contracts developed and signed
Returning students are placed in regular school schedules
Returning students are provided individual scaffolding plans that include regular therapeutic sessions, academic support sessions, and other services as needed around their school schedule

10. Huntsville City Schools Implements a Character Development Academy for Students Who Manifest Behaviors as Determined by Behavioral Learning Guide
Initial implementation in high schools
Set number of days (suggest 4)
Reading, writing, reflecting focus
Goal is for student to understand and own the behavior that warranted CDA and gain coping strategies for managing their behavior
No exceptions to CDA program once assigned
Centrally managed curriculum to ensure equity across high schools
Optimum CDA teacher - collaborative
Appleton aides provide support
CDA is located in ILC room
Curriculum development – CDA teachers will collaborate alongside district curriculum specialists and guidance counselors – include Conflict Resolution, Making Good Choices, etc.

11. HCS Has Developed a Tentative Implementation Timeline for Enhanced Student Support
Mid October thru end of October 2016: selection of behavioral health provider
November thru December 2016: implementation of new behavioral health services
November thru December 2016: design of Character Development Academy
January 2017: implementation of CDA
Timeline is subject to change in speed, form, and substance in accordance with developing situation

12. There are Several Facts to be Considered in the Selection of a Behavioral Health Provider
Cost
Speed of implementation
Credentials (degrees and certifications)
Ability to integrate into school cultures

13. There are Several Facts to be Considered in the Selection of a Behavioral Health Provider
Cost
Nova: $50k/therapist; $300k/6 therapists
Eagle: $39k/therapist; $234k/6 therapists
Speed of implementation
Nova: can initially implement 3 therapists immediately, with ability to scale to 6 by Jan 2017
Eagle: can initially implement 1 therapist immediately, with ability to scale to 6 by Jan 2017
Credentialling
Nova: MS degrees, some licensed
Eagle: MS degrees, some licensed
Ability to integrate into school cultures
Nova: HCS has not attempted to integrate Nova counselors into school cultures
Eagle: Therapeutic model is based on building a relationship between the therapist and the individual school culture