Rising Together summit shares youth mental health screening data from Baltimore County

A virtual summit on Oct. 29 highlighted new screening results from Baltimore County Public Schools and a multi-sector model aimed at identifying student mental health needs earlier. Leaders said the approach is designed to move schools, healthcare providers and community partners from crisis response to faster intervention.

Why it matters: - Baltimore County’s early screening results show how many students are dealing with anxiety, sadness, bullying, food insecurity and other barriers that can affect learning and attendance. - The summit framed youth mental health as a school, healthcare and community issue, not just a clinical one. - The Rising Together model is built for wider use, with the goal of reaching students before problems escalate into crises.

What happened: - Rising Together hosted the virtual Rising Together Youth Mental Health Summit: Radical Partnerships, Radical Impact on Oct. 29. - The event brought together leaders from education, healthcare, philanthropy and community organizations. - Speakers included Ray Lewis of the Ray of Hope Foundation, Patricia Mustipher of Baltimore County Public Schools, Stephen Shaya of J&B Virtual Solutions and Jennifer Salerno of Possibilities for Change. - The summit centered on a multi-sector intervention model that combines screening, early intervention, trauma-responsive technology, school and community resources, staff training and family support.

The details: - The underlying Rising Together framework has reached more than 900,000 young people across 33 states and 500 partner sites over the past decade. - Nearly 80% of those sites are in medically underserved areas. - Baltimore County Public Schools serves about 108,000 students. - During spring 2026, about 1,700 students were screened within the Chesapeake High School and Woodlawn High School feeder patterns. - More than 40% of students reported anxiety or worry. - More than 30% reported sadness or hopelessness. - Nineteen percent of screened students reported indicators of current or historical violence or suicide risk. - One in three elementary and middle school students reported bullying. - One in five students said they did not have a trusted adult. - One in six students reported missing school because of caregiving responsibilities, work or transportation problems. - One in 10 students said they did not have enough food at home. - Twenty-two percent of students received same-day follow-up from a Baltimore County counselor or support staff member. - Nineteen percent of those students were connected directly to a school or community resource. - Support came from the Stephen & Renee Bisciotti Foundation, Ray of Hope Foundation, J&B Medical and Baltimore County Public Schools. - More information is available through Possibilities for Change.

Between the lines: - The screening results suggest many student needs are visible only when schools ask directly and consistently. - The same-day follow-up rate shows the model is designed to produce action, not just data collection. - The partnership structure suggests the program depends on shared responsibility across schools, healthcare, philanthropy and technology providers. - Leaders positioned technology as a way to expand access and make referrals and coordination more efficient.

What’s next: - Rising Together is designed for nationwide replication. - The group is looking for additional partnership opportunities as it expands the model to more communities. - The organizations involved say the goal is to apply lessons from Baltimore County to other school systems.

The bottom line: - The summit’s message was straightforward: earlier screening plus faster cross-sector support can change how schools respond to student mental health needs.