LA PLATA, Md. — The Board of Education of Charles County has earned the 2025 Magna Award from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) for Charles County Public Schools’ (CCPS) innovative expansion of mental health services. Recognized as one of three grand prize winners nationwide, CCPS was honored for addressing post-pandemic mental health challenges with creative, student-focused solutions. The award, presented on April 5 at the NSBA annual conference in Atlanta, highlights CCPS’s efforts to enhance student well-being through accessible, technology-driven, and proactive mental health programs.
The NSBA’s Magna Awards, now in their 30th year, celebrate school districts that tackle educational challenges with innovative strategies. According to the NSBA website, the 2025 awards emphasized programs that demonstrate creativity, sustainability, and replicability. CCPS stood out for its comprehensive approach to mental health, prompted by a significant rise in student needs following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many issues that impact students being ready and focused on learning originate from challenges outside of school,” said Superintendent of Schools Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D. “Addressing these issues, by providing additional mental health supports, help students participate effectively in the classroom and foster a more supportive and productive learning environment.”
CCPS identified four key areas to address mental health: increasing access to services, embracing remote mental health options, securing funding, and implementing early intervention screenings. A cornerstone of the initiative is a partnership with Hazel Health, a nationwide telehealth provider, funded through grants. This collaboration offers free telemental health services to students in kindergarten through 12th grade during school hours, with virtual therapy available at home for students in grades 3-12. From November 2023 to November 2024, Hazel Health facilitated 2,071 remote sessions and referred 906 students for support.
“We have seen approximately a 30% reduction from pre-assessment to post-assessment in areas of depression and anxiety of students who are receiving the services,” said Mike Blanchard, Psy.D., CCPS director of student services.
The district employs nearly 190 school counselors, psychologists, pupil personnel workers, and external providers to deliver mental health support. Additional programs, funded by the Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC), include the Signs of Suicide (SOS) initiative in high schools, Move This World, a social-emotional learning platform for elementary students, and BARK for Schools, an early alert system to identify student concerns. These efforts align with CCPS’s commitment to trauma-informed practices, as outlined on its website, which emphasizes building skills to cope with life’s challenges.
The Magna Award underscores CCPS’s leadership in addressing youth mental health, a priority echoed by federal initiatives. The U.S. Department of Education’s $70 million investment in school-based mental health services in 2024 highlights the national need for such programs. CCPS’s model, combining in-school and remote services with early intervention, offers a replicable framework for other districts.
“I was so thrilled,” said Board Chairperson Yonelle Moore Lee, Esq., about receiving the award. “Especially because of why we won the award, for mental health. I was so incredibly proud of the work that our staff has done, Dr. Navarro has done. Recognizing that mental health is just as important as physical health.”
The recognition places CCPS alongside other innovative districts, such as Newport News Public Schools, which won a 2022 Magna Award for its Tiered Emotional and Mental Health Supports program. CCPS’s achievement reflects its broader mission to provide equitable, high-quality education, as noted by Virginia McGraw, a Charles County School Board member, who emphasized meeting students’ diverse needs.
For more information on CCPS’s mental health services, visit https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/mental-health or contact Beila Lugo, Mental Health Coordinator, at blugo@ccboe.com or (301) 392-7507.
