Case Study · September 16, 2026 · Cartwheel · Article

Behind Strong School Mental Health Partnerships: Lessons from Three Massachusetts Districts

Featured Leadership & Mental Health Partnership

Dr. Brenda Ortiz McGrath joined Massachusetts education leaders for a conversation hosted by Cartwheel Care on what effective school mental health partnerships look like in practice. In the feature, she discusses Chelsea Public Schools' proactive approach to reducing mental health stigma, building bilingual and bicultural supports, engaging families, and using real-time referral data to strengthen access to care. She also highlights her leadership philosophy of knowing students by Name, Strength, and Story and the importance of building trusted partnerships that understand the communities they serve.