For a student struggling with anxiety, depression, or family instability, getting help isn't always easy. Transportation, scheduling, insurance barriers, and other challenges can make accessing care difficult — especially for young people.

For more than 20 years, SOUND's Middle School Support Program (MSSP) has helped connect middle school students with behavioral health support where they need it most. The program is one part of SOUND's broader continuum of school-based behavioral health services, which bring care directly to students across King County. Since the program's inception, the Nesholm Family Foundation has helped sustain the MSSP through two decades of dedicated support, allowing students to access care in the place they spend much of their day: school.

Expanding Mental Health Care for Middle School Students in King County

Originally established in 2006 through a partnership between SOUND, Seattle Public Schools and the Nesholm Family Foundation, the MSSP was created to address disparities affecting students in high-need middle schools. Leaders recognized that, as many children made the transition from elementary to middle school, they were already falling behind academically because they were carrying challenges outside the classroom that made learning more difficult.

At its core, the program was built on a simple belief: before students can fully engage in learning, they need support navigating the challenges they carry with them each day. By helping lighten those burdens, the MSSP gives students a stronger foundation to learn, grow and succeed.

"Our team is school based because that's where we can reach them," said Anastasia Tschida, SOUND's child, youth & family services program supervisor. "If we want services to be accessible, we have to go where students are."

School-Based Behavioral Health Services That Meet Students Where They Are

What makes the MSSP unique is its fully embedded model. Unlike many school-based behavioral health programs, SOUND's care coordinators are integrated into participating schools as full-time members of the school community. They collaborate with educators, participate in school meetings, build trusted relationships with students and families, and serve as consistent advocates throughout the school day.

Because of that embedded presence, care coordinators can support any student who needs help, not just those already connected to SOUND services. Whether providing clinical support, helping families navigate housing or food insecurity, or connecting them with community resources, the MSSP is designed to respond early, before challenges become larger barriers to success.

"We're passionate about family-centered care," Tschida said. "We want to help strengthen the support systems around each student."

Connecting King County Families with School Mental Health Resources

For two decades, the partnership between SOUND, Seattle Public Schools and the Nesholm Family Foundation has helped create a model that meets students where they are. Together, they have made behavioral health support more accessible for thousands of students, helping young people build resilience, stay engaged in school and create healthier futures.

To learn more about SOUND’s Child, Youth & Family Services, visit https://www.sound.health/services/child-youth-family-services

‍