School and Community Mental Health Access (SCMHA) Partnership

• Background of the Partnership

• • • Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, The Heart Leaf Center received grant funding from the INOVA Health Equity Grant to partner with two Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Bailey’s and McNair primary schools.
    • The SCMHA partnership was founded to increase access to high-quality, play-based mental health services for children and families struggling with financial, linguistic, and logistical barriers, in alignment with The Heart Leaf Center’s mission.
    • We received our first referral October 19, 2022, and enrolled our first client on October 30, 2022. Our current client numbers continue to grow.

• What We Do

• • • Play therapy services that occur in the child’s school.
    • Same level of confidentiality as if the child was seen in an office.
    • Parent and family sessions available as well.
    • Increased coordination with teachers and school clinical staff.
    • Providing support to classroom teachers to help work effectively with the child.
    • We also can assist with access to resources to support other family needs
    • The only program in Northern Virginia that provides affordable play therapy services in schools.

• Link to the Office Tours

• • • https://www.instagram.com/p/CygY5nTOgSr/?hl=en

• How to Refer 

• • • Kids are referred for the SCMHA Partnership services in one of two ways:
      • Parents of students at SCMHA partnership schools can self-refer by contacting info@heartleafcenter.org or (703) 397-8163
      • Students can also be referred by a school’s clinical team after school-based interventions have been implemented and it has been determined that the student may benefit from additional support