Should all FHPS middle schools permanently maintain a full-time mental health counselor, even if it requires reducing other budget lines?
Forest Hills Public Schools added full-time licensed counselors to all four middle schools (East, Central, North, South) in fall 2025, funded by the $62M bond voters approved in November 2025. Each building now has a Wellness Room — a no-stigma drop-in space with quiet areas, sensory tools, and counselor access for students experiencing anxiety or crisis. Students can self-refer. Counselors coordinate CMH referrals for students needing county mental health services.
What Changed
Every Forest Hills Public Schools middle school — Eastern, Central, and Northern — now has a full-time, licensed mental health counselor and a dedicated Wellness Room. This was funded by the November 2024 bond proposal, which passed with 62% approval.
Before the bond, FHPS middle schools shared one counselor across multiple buildings. The new model provides a consistent, accessible resource students can use without a referral — similar to walking to the nurse.
What the Wellness Room Is
The Wellness Room is a dedicated, quiet space in each middle school where students can go to de-escalate, self-regulate, or meet with a counselor. It's not a punishment room and doesn't require a discipline referral to access. Students can self-refer, be sent by a teacher, or request access through the front office.
The rooms are staffed during school hours. Counselors are licensed professional counselors (LPCs) or licensed masters social workers (LMSWs) — not school counselors focused on college planning.
What to Watch
- July 2026 — FHPS Board votes on the final FY2027 budget; this vote determines whether counselor positions are maintained or reduced
- November 3, 2026 — Three FHPS board seats on the ballot; candidates' positions on mental health staffing are a key differentiator
- 2026–27 school year — Watch whether all six middle school counselor positions are filled for the new year; vacancies signal budget pressure
Source: FHPS Board of Education
Should all FHPS middle schools permanently maintain a full-time mental health counselor, even if it requires reducing other budget lines?
Yes — mental health support is essential infrastructure
No — this should be a budget-dependent decision each year
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