Lowell Public Schools unveils mental‑health office five‑year plan and pilots screening programs

Lowell Public Schools’ director of mental health presented a district plan to build a comprehensive school mental‑health system over five years, focusing on promotion, prevention and intervention and expanding partnerships with community providers.

Drew Rosen, introduced by the superintendent and the mental health office lead, said the office is fully staffed and is coordinating needs assessments and school‑level "shape" assessments to guide a rolling strategic plan. The presentation listed efforts such as monthly social work meetings, supervision for clinical staff, trauma‑sensitive school development, and professional development partnerships with Mass General and Walker Associates.

Rosen said the district has piloted screening tools — including the GAD‑7 anxiety screener at four middle schools — and is considering pilot screeners for younger students. He described work to standardize how social workers enter data so the district can track interventions across schools and scale tier‑two supports.

Committee members asked about designation as a trauma‑informed district and whether professional development reaches all staff. Rosen said he is focused primarily on social‑work professional development now but plans to expand training and to pull in guidance counselors, psychologists and school staff over time.

The presentation also emphasized collaboration with community vendors and an intent to develop better crisis‑response protocols and reintegration plans for students who have experienced crises. Members asked for follow up on scope, designation opportunities and how the program will interact with attendance and discipline initiatives.

Next steps: administration to return with further details and timelines as the rolling plan is refined.