A pilot program is starting in a handful of Southeast D.C. schools to connect students and their families with a range of social services before problems hit crisis levels, officials said Wednesday.

Deputy Mayor for Education Victor Reinoso and Mayor Adrian Fenty unveiled the approximately $1 million plan, modeled after programs in several New York state school systems.

Currently, some schools in the District have on-site social workers. The problem is that their work often doesn’t begin until it’s almost too late, Reinoso said.

The pilot program emphasizes early intervention. It provides a clinician who will work with students to identify and help resolve problems, and will also have the ability and resources to link the student’s family with the appropriate city agencies and community organizations to address the problem more holistically, Reinoso said.

This story continues below
Advertisement

“For example, if a student is acting out in a class and the teacher has tried all traditional behavior management models, they can refer them to the clinician,” he said. “It isn’t just about addressing weaknesses, but building support.”

The idea of providing morecomprehensive services through the schools has been part of D.C.’s overall education reform plan, but it gained urgency in the wake of the case of Banita Jacks, the D.C. mother charged with murder in the deaths of her four young daughters.

Reinoso said for such an extreme case there is “no silver bullet.” But a program like the one introduced has the capacity to prevent some crises, officials said.

The pilot program will be implemented in seven D.C. schools that were chosen because of present deficiencies in counseling services.

The schools are: Barnard, Ferebee Hope, Leckie, Malcolm X, Simon and Truesdell elementary schools as well as Hart Middle School.

The cost per school is $150,000, plus $200,000 the first year for startup costs.

Fenty said the city plans to expand the program to all schools eventually.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com