Superintendent George Arlotto today announced that the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Mental Health Task Force created by the Board of Education will issue its final report in October.
The task force, which includes students, parents, community organization representatives, mental health experts, and county and school system representatives, is co-chaired by Ryan Voegtlin, AACPS’ Director of Student Services, and Adrienne Mickler, Executive Director of the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency. It was scheduled to present its report to the Board this spring, but that timeline was interrupted by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The task force’s goals are to:
- identify contributing factors to the increasing mental health needs of our children.
- better coordinate services and communication between and among the school system, county government, and service providers.
- identify proactive measures and best practices.
- make recommendations for improved delivery of services to children and families.
The task force is seeking to identify various factors leading to the increase in mental health issues among children, identify services both in and out of school to assist students needing mental health support, determine areas for greater collaboration, and identify changes in areas such as parenting trends, community activities and resources, educational practices, and the environment that could lead to a steady reduction in mental health issues.