BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Health has announced an expansion of Medicaid coverage to provide mental health services to all public school students enrolled in the program. Previously, Medicaid only covered these services for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs).

This means that over 650,000 Maryland children, almost half of the state’s student population, will now have access to diagnostic evaluations, individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy provided by licensed school psychologists and social workers. Licensed school psychologists are now Medicaid providers.

“This expansion is a step forward in addressing the mental health needs of Maryland’s students,” said Maryland Secretary of Health Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “We’re breaking down barriers to mental health care and making sure that every student has access to the support they need to succeed in and out of the classroom.”

The expansion is funded by a three-year, $2.5 million cooperative agreement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded to Maryland and 17 other states. The Maryland Department of Health, the Maryland State Department of Education, and a statewide coalition of health agencies, the state department of education, local jurisdictions, and the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission are partnering to implement the program.

“When we expand access to mental health services, we strengthen the depth of support available to students,” said State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright. “Social-emotional wellness is directly tied to academic success. We appreciate our partnership with the Maryland Department of Health on this important initiative.”

Additional information on Medicaid school-based services is available at the CMS Medicaid & School Based Services website here.

More in the video below.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.