Children’s Hospital’s ThriveKids Program to Receive $30M in Continued Funding from the City, Securing NOLA Public Schools Partnership through 2034

Following an agreement reached between the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) this week, funding has been secured to continue ThriveKids’ partnership in NOLA Public Schools, allocating $3M annually for the next 10 years.

NEW ORLEANS – The future of Children’s Hospital New Orleans’ ThriveKids Program partnership with NOLA Public Schools has been secured with the commitment of $30M in City funding over the next 10 years. The announcement is part of a larger agreement between the City and OPSB that is dedicating funding specifically for student services like ThriveKids, which provides health services directly to kids in schools to enhance the mental and physical well-being of students.

In the Fall of 2023, Children's Hospital New Orleans' ThriveKids Student Wellness Program began a partnership with NOLA Public Schools, bringing care coordination, access to services and health resources to students and their families, with a strong focus on mental health care and violence prevention. The partnership was made possible with an initial $10M commitment over three years from the City of New Orleans, New Orleans City Council and the New Orleans Health Department.

“This decision safeguards the sustainability of this critical resource to continue to provide the mental health resources our students desperately need,” said Olin Parker, member of the Orleans Parish School Board and former president when the ThriveKids partnership was established. “We are grateful to our partners at the City of New Orleans and City Council for recognizing the importance of bridging our health and education sectors, with a focus on bringing resources to those who need it most.”

“ThriveKids is working with NOLA Public Schools to proactively help identify needs, and get kids connected to the support and resources they need before they reach a crisis point,” said Children’s Hospital President and CEO Lucio A. Fragoso “This significant commitment to continue this work for the next decade will be nothing short of transformational for child wellbeing here in New Orleans.”

The ThriveKids partnership offers a combination of direct clinical services and care management for both medical and mental health needs via a multidisciplinary team of more than 30 full-time experts. Every NOLA Public Schools student can benefit from the program through care coordination services, while 20 schools identified with the highest needs receive further intensive support. Children’s Hospital hopes to scale this impact in the years to come as additional financial support is secured from private, state and federal funding sources.

“Our children cannot succeed academically or in life unless their mental and physical health needs are met,” said Councilmember Joe Giarrusso. “New Orleans City Council will formally approve this continued, vital investment in mental health services for our youth this Thursday. The difference that the ThriveKids team is making is tangible, and the opportunity to make a measurable difference is amplified through this commitment.”
In New Orleans, children face unprecedented levels of trauma, with New Orleans youth experiencing four times the national average for rates of PTSD and 54% having experienced the murder of someone close to them. Additionally, less than half of youth who experience trauma receive any form of mental health services. Together, ThriveKids and NOLA Public Schools have been working to change that.

Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, 3,815 individual counseling sessions were delivered with an additional 892 completed mental health visits with the advanced psychiatric care team. Last year, nearly 900 students also received care coordination from full-time ThriveKids coordinators who worked to remove barriers and connect students with the specialized care needed, across 63 NOLA Public Schools campuses. On top of this, more than 700 connections were made for health needs ranging from psychiatry and counseling to ophthalmology, dentistry and primary care.

"We are thrilled to hear about the City's decision to extend funding for the ThriveKids program for the next 10 years," said New Orleans Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno. "In just one year since its launch, we have witnessed the enormous benefits the program provides to our youth and their families. This investment highlights the importance of partnerships and the strong commitment to ensuring the mental health and well-being of our city's youth."

Learn more about ThriveKids by visiting www.chnola.org/ThriveKids.