To help address community needs, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is launching a regional telehealth initiative focused on improving youth mental health in schools with an aim of reaching 50,000 students a year. MCDPH intends to award a single applicant with demonstrated success in school-based telehealth programs and will use $750,000 of funding for the initiative in the first year. Funding may be renewed for up to two (2) additional years.
The selected Contractor shall deliver short-term virtual therapy sessions to students and provide referral pathways for longer-term treatment. Services should be made available during and outside of school hours, enabling students to connect with licensed providers from school or home.
The awarded Contractor shall be responsible for recruiting schools, delivering services, and tracking program impact. While this funding is dedicated to students in Maricopa County, the contract will be structured to allow other government agencies across Arizona to contribute funds and expand the service in their own regions.
Key priorities for this initiative include:
- Delivering brief, trauma-informed therapy sessions through a secure telehealth platform
- Collaborating directly with schools to identify and refer students in need
- Expanding access in rural and underserved areas where mental health services are limited
- Providing services that are respectful, accessible, and responsive to a range of student needs and backgrounds
- Tracking outcome measures such as improved attendance, reduced disciplinary actions, and early screening for tobacco or vaping behaviors
- Reducing barriers to care by providing services without copays or deductibles
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, private organizations, and academic institutions with at least three years of experience delivering telehealth-based mental health services. Eligible applicants must:
- Demonstrate a minimum of three (3) years of experience providing telehealth-based mental health services within K-12 school settings. Only experience accrued after the organization’s formal establishment may be counted.
- Demonstrate a minimum of three (3) years of experience billing third-party insurance for mental health services, with such experience occurring after establishment as a formal organization.
- Have previously served at least 500,000 students. Applicants serving at least 300,000 students in the past five years may be considered if clear evidence of capacity to scale is provided.
- Staffing must include Arizona-licensed Behavioral health providers or a documented plan and timeline for obtaining Arizona-licensed providers prior to service delivery.
- Commitment of at least $100,000 in-kind contributions over the course of the year. Contributions may include staff time, technology, or other resources directly supporting service delivery.
