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The Fight Continues to Save School-Based Behavioral Health

June 30, 2026

The D.C. Council's approved FY 2027 budget allocates telecommunications fees to fund mental health crisis services, including the Child and Adolescent Mobile Psychiatric Service (ChAMPS), which provides emergency support to children experiencing mental health crises. Mayor Bowser's initial budget proposal sought to eliminate ChAMPS and transition school-based behavioral health services away from community-based organizations to in-house D.C. government employees, a move that would have left at least 60 clinician positions vacant. After advocacy from parents and community members, the Council restored some funding and passed legislation requiring the Department of Behavioral Health to maintain a hybrid model combining both community organizations and government employees.

Who is affected

  • Elementary and school-aged children experiencing mental health crises in D.C., particularly those in public and public charter schools
  • Mellie Harris and her son (Ward 8 residents who have used ChAMPS services multiple times)
  • Foster youth and families facing housing insecurity served by Children's Law Center
  • Students with disabilities at St. Coletta of Greater Washington
  • Community-based organizations providing school-based mental health services (several facing contract non-renewal)
  • Licensed clinicians employed by community-based organizations
  • District public and public charter school students and families
  • Parents seeking mental health support for their children

What action is being taken

  • The D.C. Council is allocating telecommunications fee revenue to fund suicide hotlines, pediatric crisis support, crisis support beds, and ChAMPS
  • The Council's Committee on Health has reallocated $6.1 million from within the School-Based Behavioral Health budget to restore funding for community-based organization grants
  • DBH is severing ties with community-based organizations staffing clinicians at District schools
  • DBH is implementing a plan to hire 45 school clinicians as District employees
  • The Council has passed the School-Based Behavioral Health Program Stabilization and Oversight Act of 2026, requiring DBH to maintain a hybrid model for the 2026-2027 school year
  • DBH is scheduled to respond to Councilmember Henderson's letter by July 1
  • Mellie Harris is working with More Options Wellness, a network of mental health practitioners

Why it matters

  • This budget fight matters because it directly impacts how vulnerable children access mental health crisis services during emergencies. ChAMPS and community-based organizations have proven critical in de-escalating crises and preventing children from being unnecessarily criminalized or traumatized during mental health emergencies, as demonstrated by Harris's experiences where ChAMPS representatives prevented police from treating her son "like a criminal in a health emergency." The transition away from experienced community providers risks creating dangerous service gaps in an already strained behavioral health system, potentially leaving dozens of schools without adequate mental health support. The situation highlights broader tensions between centralized government control and community-based service delivery, with real consequences for children's safety and well-being during their most vulnerable moments.

What's next

  • DBH is scheduled to respond to Councilmember Henderson's June 4 letter by July 1
  • DBH must maintain a hybrid model for the 2026-2027 school year as required by the School-Based Behavioral Health Program Stabilization and Oversight Act of 2026
  • It remains to be seen how DBH will address at least five dozen anticipated school-based clinician vacancies
  • DBH must work on replacing outgoing community-based organizations with in-house service providers (timeline and progress unclear)

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer