Durham Public Schools Expands Student Mental Health Services Through Partnership with Alliance Health and Durham County

Durham Public Schools (DPS) is expanding access to school-based mental health services through a renewed partnership with Durham County Government and Alliance Health.

The initiative, relaunching on World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), aims to connect more students with behavioral health care, crisis intervention, and developmental support services across Durham’s public school system.

School-Based Behavioral Health Support for All DPS Students

The program, known as the School-Based Team (SBT), is operated by Alliance Health and is designed to help Durham County students access services such as:

• Behavioral and mental health counseling
• Substance use disorder treatment
• Support for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)
• Care coordination during and after a mental health crisis

SBT serves all DPS students, regardless of insurance status, and assists families with referrals, follow-up, and connections to community health resources. The program also supports students transitioning in and out of psychiatric or residential treatment facilities.

“This expanded partnership with Alliance has fast-tracked new possibilities for connecting students to care,” said Dr. LaVerne Mattocks-Perry, senior executive director of student support services at DPS.

County-Funded Program Builds on Proven Mental Health Model

The mental health initiative in Durham Public Schools is based on a successful model implemented in Wake County, which has shown positive outcomes over the past decade. Funded by Durham County Government, the program aligns with the county’s behavioral health strategic plan to improve school-based crisis response and cross-agency collaboration.

Duke Health is also working with DPS to strengthen emergency mental health supports for students by improving coordination with local crisis facilities and hospital emergency departments.

Supporting Student Well-Being and School Success

“When students feel seen, supported, and emotionally healthy, they are better prepared to learn, grow, and thrive,” said Ann Oshel, head of community health and well-being at Alliance Health.

The expansion reflects a growing recognition of the link between student mental health and academic success. By providing accessible, wrap-around services within schools, DPS aims to address barriers to learning and improve long-term outcomes for students and families in South Durham and throughout the district.

✅ Key Takeaways:

• Durham Public Schools expands access to student mental health care through a partnership with Alliance Health and Durham County.
• School-Based Team (SBT) offers behavioral health support, substance use treatment, and developmental services.
• Available to all students, with or without insurance.
• Builds on a proven model from Wake County.
• Supported by Durham County’s behavioral health strategic plan and collaboration with Duke Health.

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