School-Based Mental Health Services Program

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is requesting sealed proposals for school-based mental health counseling services under RFP #SBMH-2526, with proposals due December 22, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. local time. CCPS reserves the right to award to a single vendor or multiple vendors.

The program will serve approximately 200–250 referred students annually across 40 schools and centers using an ecological-developmental approach that addresses intervention and prevention at the individual, peer, family, school, and community levels. Services include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, staff consultations, parent workshops, and crisis intervention for students with social, emotional, or behavioral concerns impacting educational performance. Clinicians must maintain a caseload of approximately seven clients per day during instructional school days and deliver services primarily in-person during regular school hours (six billable hours per day); virtual services are permitted on a case-by-case basis only. All clinicians must be licensed and eligible to practice independently in Maryland.

Pricing must be structured as fixed hourly rates per session, with historical rates ranging from $65 to $140 per hour depending on service type and provider experience. Current vendors are Expanding Horizons Counseling and Wellness Center, Center for Children, and Tri-County. CCPS will not provide laptops, supplies, or technology; vendors are responsible for all equipment and materials. Vendors must maintain continuity-of-care plans, submit secure encrypted communications for sensitive data, and furnish monthly, mid-year, and end-of-year reports documenting date, time, location, service type, and student identifiers. No Medicaid or third-party insurance billing is permitted. The contract is funded through general school funds and replaces existing contracts rather than expanding capacity. Anticipated contract start is August 2026. Wet signatures are required on all proposal documents. Addenda I and II (both posted December 11, 2025) provide binding modifications to pricing, contract terms, performance metrics, insurance requirements, and compliance documentation that supersede the original RFP.