-- Sharmeen Mahmud, Ed.D., LMFT, PPS --
Regional Mental Health Coordinator
Buena Park, Connections, Fullerton Elementary, Irvine, La Habra, Lowell Joint, Magnolia, Newport-Mesa, Orange, Tustin
Email: smahmud@ocde.us
-- Monique Rodriguez, Psy.D., LMFT, PPSC --Regional Mental Health Coordinator
ACCESS, Anaheim Elementary, Anaheim Union, Brea Olinda, Centralia,
Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Savanna
Email: mrodriguez@ocde.us
-- Courtney Valdes, Psy.D., LCP, PPSC --
Regional Mental Health Coordinator
Capistrano, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach City,
Huntington Beach Union, Laguna Beach, Los Alamitos, Ocean View,
Oxford Preparatory Academy, Saddleback Valley, Westminster
Email: cvaldes@ocde.us
-- Amy Becker, Ed.S., M.A., BCBA, PPS --
Behavior Intervention & Mental Health Services Coordinator
Email: abecker@ocde.us
-- Paulina Degortari, MSW --
Wellspace Coordinator
Email: pdegortari@ocde.us
Role and Responsibilities of Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) Coordinators:
- Identify resources and serve as a “expert” by having the most up-to-date information on community-based mental health agencies and available services.
- Facilitate collaboration and coordination between community-based service providers and local school districts to establish new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships.
- Develop communication and referral protocols by becoming familiar with agency referral processes and parameters.
- Engage in train-the-trainer opportunities on evidence-based approaches by leveraging existing training resources.
- Provide professional development (PD) training and educational sessions for educators and school staff.
- Provide Care Coordination services to families referred by the district.
It is anticipated that the Mental Health Student Services Act Coordinators will also support school districts by:
- Establishing new partnerships with mental health service providers
- Improving or developing systems to create sustainable best practices and protocols
- Sharing best practices for school-based mental health, through a “Community of Practice"
- Improving timely access to, and reduce barriers to accessing needed services
- Increasing linkages to mental health services for districts
- Increasing training on mental health topics to educators, administrators, parents/families, and students, to improve awareness and understanding of mental health topics, and knowledge of how to navigate services
- Reduction in negative student outcomes (e.g., chronic sadness, thoughts of suicide, suicide rates, chronic absenteeism, school failure, etc.)
