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Module 1: Introduction

About SchooLink

SchooLink is a longstanding partnership between the County of San Diego and local school districts to provide County-funded behavioral health services at schools. The partnership dates back to late 1990’s, where the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) – Behavioral Health Services (County) partnered with school districts and Community Based Organizations to offer outpatient Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS), and later Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment on designated school campuses to students with Medi-Cal or no insurance.

School campuses are dynamic with a variety of resources, but it is not always easy to know how to access services. The Behavioral Health Services for Youth in San Diego County Poster was created to help explain the landscape.

The training program was originally developed in 2017-2018 through a highly collaborative and interactive process between the County Behavioral Health Services Division, San Diego Unified School District’s (SDUSD) Mental Health Resource Center (MHRC), Community Research Foundation (CRF), and Price Philanthropies. SchooLink modules were last updated in 2025, introducing new modules.

All SchooLink materials can be found on the SchooLink San Diego website.

Goal

The SchooLink modules aim to outline successful strategies for linking eligible school-aged children and youth to behavioral health services. It was created for SchooLink providers and for schools. You will also find helpful reference materials, like standardized referral forms, sample meeting agendas, and more.

SchooLink resources are available to help school staff and behavioral health providers better understand:

  • Available services
  • Referral Processes
  • School staff and provider roles and responsibilities
  • Best practices for outreach and communication

Partners

 

SchooLink Service Types

As of July 2026, SchooLink is further defined under three service types. 

  1. Skill Building SchooLink (Primarily Small Group or SEL Instruction)
    • Best for: Students who have emerging emotional or behavioral concerns and need social-emotional skill building support.
    • Services offered: Small group interventions utilizing an evidence-based curriculum.
  2. Teen Recovery Center SchooLink – Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Services
    • Best for: Students who have emerging or ongoing substance use concerns and need individual or group recovery support.
    • Services offered: SUD screening, early intervention, treatment, intensive treatment and recovery support.
  3. Core SchooLink (Individual, Group & Family Treatment)
    •  Best for: Students who have ongoing behavioral concerns and need treatment in individual/group/family therapy and/or medication.
    • Services offered: Mental health treatment services inclusive of psychiatric medication.

    

Key Terms

  • Behavioral health services: A continuum of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services for mental health and substance use. 
  • County-funded: Services funded through the County of San Diego’s Health & Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Services Division. 
  • Provider: Unless otherwise specified, a County-funded behavioral health provider.

Next Module

Happy teenage girl laughing while using cell phone and communicating with her friends in hallway at high school.

Module 2: Prevalence

For administrative information or to provide feedback about the SchooLink training program, please email BHSContactUs.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov with subject line: SchooLink.