Trends in Social Workers Employed by School Districts [April 2022]
The Rundown with Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit
More Info
The Rundown with Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit
Trends in Social Workers Employed by School Districts [April 2022]
Apr 22, 2022
Legislative Post Audit

The Kansas Legislature created the Mental Health Intervention Team Program in school year 2019 to increase students’ access to mental health care resources. It has reauthorized and expanded the program in the following years. Kansas school districts employ licensed mental health care staff to provide several different services to students.  Districts reported a 13% increase in total licensed mental health staff FTE including a 29% increase in social worker staff FTE from school year 2019 to 2022. However, the FTE trends should be interpreted with caution because school districts don’t report social worker FTE consistently to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). The 5 community mental health centers (CMHCs) and 5 school districts we interviewed generally reported positive experiences with the program even though all 5 CMHCs reported losing staff to school districts.