The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM) is a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) designed to promote students' social, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing. We aim to create safe and supportive learning environments in which students may grow and thrive academically, personally, and socially.
We are comprised of 107 school psychologists & pupil adjustment counselors/school social workers. Together, we support all Boston Public Schools (BPS) to provide student-level services (e.g. counseling & interventions) and systems-level services (e.g. climate team facilitation).
Within BPS schools, we are hard at work providing direct individual student services like counseling and assessment. We also support schools by facilitating and/or participating in important school teams (e.g. student support team, climate team).
Our department is an integral part of the district crisis team, responsible for supporting school communities following large impact crises. We also work closely with various partners to strengthen behavioral health supports available to our students & schools.
We use data-based decisions to determine which students need which tier of support. Universal screeners and progress monitoring tools such as the BIMAS-2 are utilized. In addition, we analyze student outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of CBHM implementation across the district.
We provide parents with a wide range of resources, including counseling, educational materials, and support groups, to help them navigate and support their child's mental health and emotional needs effectively.
We offer school staff a comprehensive set of resources, including training and consultation services to enhance their ability to identify, support, and address the mental health needs of students within the school environment.
Senior Director
Behavioral Health Services
Assistant Director
Behavioral Health Services
Lead Clerk
Behavioral Health Services
CBHM is a comprehensive model that integrates tiered supports and services within a school according to student needs and recognizes family and community partnerships as an integral part of a school's success.
CBHM launched during the 2012-13 school year in 10 Boston Public Schools (BPS). Each year, approximately 10 additional schools join the model. Currently, over 76 schools have joined CBHM. Each participating school has begun to implement a multi-tiered model of interventions and supports (aka MTSS), including a universal social emotional learning curriculum and a universal behavioral health screening tool (BIMAS-2), which helps schools better understand and respond to each student's behavioral health needs.
Each school year a new cohort of approximately 10 BPS schools will join the model in order to expand CBHM supports across the district. Additionally, we have seen an increase in multi-tiered systems of support, the use of social emotional learning curricula, and implementation of universal behavioral health screening across the district, including in those schools who have not yet joined the model.
In 2020, the Behavioral Health Services of BPS were awarded the NASP Excellence in School Psychologist Services Proficiency Award, given to districts that provide evidence of a solid foundation in the implementation of a system-wide and sustainable infrastructure to support students' behavioral health.
Behavioral Health Services
443 Warren St. Boston, MA, 02121
(617) 635 - 9676
Quick Links:
Copyright © 2023 CBHM - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.