ANSWER:

The Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement (OSFSE) staff members serve
as resources and liaisons to help students and their families’ access services they need, in order
to be successful in school.  OSFSE continues to examine ways to improve its outreach to students and families.  This may include information on how to access services in three areas:

• Resources provided by staff such as from counselors, school psychologists, and other staff.
• Government-based services such as Linkages to Learning, which is available in 29 schools around the county, and in Montgomery County (e.g., the Montgomery County Department
  of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which operates the Screening and Assessment Services for Children and Adolescents and the Crisis Center, among other community services).  DHHS is the main resource to which MCPS coordinates services such as housing and food. 
• Community-based resources such as EveryMind, Interages, and Identity.

OSFSE communicates with school staff, and the broader community in several ways, sharing the resource guide, the OSFSE website, and use of social media to celebrate and announce student engagement in OSFSE-related activities. The resource guide which was distributed to all schools also is posted on the OSFSE website.

 https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/studentservices/OSFSE_CommunityResource_GUIDE_18-19.pdf

The OSFSE website (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studentservices/) lists the roles of staff available to help students and families access the services and programs they need to promote the physical, social, and psychological well-being of all students.  In addition to the specific roles and responsibilities, OSFSE closely works with local, state, and federal agencies to address the physical, social, and psychological well-being of students. This includes collaborating with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Montgomery County government, the Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland Department of Health, and the Maryland Governor’s Office to make mental health services and resources available to students and their families.  An example of this collaboration is the Recovery and Academic Program that provides academic and recovery services to students with substance use difficulties.

The OSFSE webpage lists state and local services, including the BTheOne public education campaign to promote mental health and well-being, in collaboration with DHHS, EveryMind, and Family Services, Inc., and the Maryland State Tip Line. The tip line was activated for individuals to anonymously report concerns and threats to schools and the safety and well-being of students. OSFSE also annually publishes a community resource guide to assist schools, families, and the community in accessing resources to promote student success and well-being.

Multiple OSFSE departments have district aligned social media presence to share information about upcoming programming and recognize student involvement in meaningful activities.

The social media outlets are listed below:

MCPS School Counselors                               Twitter:  @MCPSCounseling

MCPS Student Leadership                              Twitter:  @mcpsslu

MCPS OSFSE                                                 Twitter: @mcps_osfse

MCPS Restorative Justice                               Twitter: @RJMCPS

MCPS OSFSE Associate Superintendent       Twitter: @AssocSuptOSFSE

It is important to continually revisit ways that families may easily access information. We will continue to work with schools and families to make information and services more easily accessible.