Fondy Cares reports 447 students served, 6,000+ sessions and expanded community access

Melissa Schupp, supervisor of the Fondy Cares school-based mental health program, told the board the program provided on-site licensed therapy at all 14 district sites and enrolled 447 students during the 2024'25 school year. "For those who may not be familiar with Fondy Cares program, we provide on-site therapy with licensed therapists available to meet with the students during the school day," Schupp said.
Schupp said Fondy Cares partners with nine community mental health agencies to place licensed therapists in schools and collaborates with UW Oshkosh and UW Milwaukee to host master's-level counseling and social work interns at no cost. She reported that 21 therapists provided (the transcript reads) roughly 322 hours of weekly therapy and six interns provided 64 hours weekly. As of June 1 the program had delivered more than 6,000 therapy sessions.
Program access and screening: Schupp said 99 students were screened for mental-health concerns; of those, 18 were referred to Fondy Cares therapists, 54 were referred to school counselors for weekly check-ins, and 27 were already receiving services. Schupp praised donor support that ensured no student was denied services for financial reasons; she said donors helped cover services for 32 students at a cost of $15,000 and $13,000 in supervisory costs.
Privacy and facilities: Schupp said therapy sessions occur during the school day with passes similar to orthodontist appointments, and each site is a secured satellite site with locked filing cabinets, licensure posted and other confidentiality safeguards. She said summer options included continued sessions at school sites, telehealth or referral back to agency providers depending on family preference.
Why it matters: School-based therapy reduces barriers to care for students and can support academic outcomes; Schupp said Fondy Cares aims to ensure mental-health supports are integrated with classroom services.
Questions and next steps: Board members asked how clinicians are allocated across sites and about an upcoming HeartMath pilot (a biofeedback program) and the composition of the district's mental health committee; Schupp said agencies commit therapist capacity early and the district redeploys staff based on referral volume. No formal board action was taken.