About Us
Our mission is simple to say and demanding to do: make sure every BPS student has a safe and supportive school environment where they can be successful. Behavioral health and academic success are inseparable, and we build the systems that treat them that way.
Overview & Mission
The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department of the Boston Public Schools is comprised of licensed behavioral health providers supporting all BPS schools. There is a critical connection between behavioral health and wellbeing and academic success, and our work sits exactly at that connection.
Our goal is to create safe and supportive learning environments in which students may grow and thrive academically, personally, and socially. We do that through the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model, through direct services in every school, and through partnerships that extend what a school district can do on its own.
The department is guided by the tenets and domains of practice of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Practice Model and by the Safe and Supportive Schools Framework developed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Behavioral Health and Public Schools Task Force.
At a Glance
Figures from the BHS Annual Report 2025–26.
Who We Are
The comprehensive role of BHS staff within schools, aligned with the NASP Practice Model, is intentionally supported so that every student has access to high-quality, equitable behavioral health services. In addition to serving as leaders and internal coaches for CBHM, our school psychologists provide:
Psycho-educational evaluations, functional behavioral assessment, and behavior intervention plans.
Individual and group counseling, including non-IEP counseling and skills groups.
Immediate support for students and school communities, and membership on the district crisis team.
Student Support Team (SST) work and facilitation of climate and culture teams.
Consultation with teachers, principals, and parents on learning, behavior, and wellbeing.
Training for school staff, and supervision of the next generation of school psychologists.
Leadership
School psychologists, program directors, grant managers, and clerks based at 443 Warren Street. Behavioral Health Services is part of the BPS Office of Specialized Services.
Leads Behavioral Health Services and played an integral role in founding the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model. Recipient of the NASP Presidential Award, the Shattuck Public Service Award, and Education Week's Leaders to Learn From recognition.
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Supervises more than 100 school psychologists across 120 schools and leads the department's work in racial equity, multilingual education, and staff coaching. Named one of the 2023 Hispanic Leaders in School Psychology.
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Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Services, supporting school psychologists and school teams across the district.
Directs district-level implementation and evaluation of the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model and co-facilitates the BHS Research and Implementation Committee.
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Coordinates professional development for school psychologists and coaches schools on implementing CBHM with fidelity. Chairs the university supervision committee for practicum students and interns. Recipient of NASP's 2025 Model School Psychology Intern Supervisor Recognition.
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Leads a federally funded initiative supporting more than 140 school-based mental health practitioners through professional development, mentorship, and community partnerships.
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Co-leads the department's federally funded workforce development program and builds cross-sector partnerships with universities, behavioral health providers, and community organizations.
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Keeps the department running: scheduling, records, and the first friendly voice when you call the office.
Supports the department office and general inquiries.
National Recognition
In January 2025, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) granted Behavioral Health Services its Exemplary Recognition for school psychological services, the highest level of NASP's Excellence in School Psychological Services program. It recognizes districts that show a system-wide, sustainable infrastructure supporting students' behavioral health. Only four districts in the United States hold the distinction. NASP first recognized the department through the same program in January 2020.
Read the Fact SheetSupporting the Community
Our department is an integral part of the district crisis team, responsible for supporting school communities following large-impact crises. In addition to providing services and supports within all BPS schools, we work closely with partners to strengthen the behavioral health supports available to students and schools.
That includes our partnership with Boston Children's Hospital and UMass Boston to implement the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model, and our role overseeing the Boston School-Based Behavioral Health Collaborative, a collective of state, city, and community organizations committed to the wellbeing of Boston's students.
Our Partners
In the Media
