dme: DC START

DC START, created by the Interagency Collaboration and Services Integration Commission (ICSIC), is a research-based model of school-based mental health with a strong record of promoting positive social and emotional outcomes and engendering student resilience. The services are designed to address many issues that a young student might face, such as: anger management difficulties; behavior/conduct problems; depression; anxiety; alcohol and other drug issues; feelings of isolation; excessive shyness; serious aggressiveness with peers or family; chronic school absences; feelings of worthlessness; or sudden changes in personality.

The school-based clinicians trained in the model will provide each primary school student served by the project with:

Multidisciplinary assessments
Support services
Mental health services
Trained Masters-level clinicians

These clinicians will receive ongoing training, centralized supervision, and periodic assessment to promote a high level of accountability.

DC START will launch in seven public schools in the 2008-09 school year. Students attending participating schools are eligible for the program. Services will be provided only with parental consent, and participation is voluntary. All services are confidential and free.

DC START schools for the 08-09 school year are:

Truesdell ES
Barnard ES
Leckie ES
Malcolm X ES
Simon ES
M.L. King, Jr. ES
MacFarland MS

For more information, see the DC START school-based clinician at any of the above schools.