Simle Middle School Behavioral Health Program Cut Incidents
A partnership in Bismarck is helping students access clinical mental health care while they remain in school.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Mental Health
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Simle Middle School in Bismarck has successfully lowered major discipline incidents by integrating clinical mental health services directly into the campus. The school uses a $150,000 state grant to facilitate partnerships with external providers.
Why it matters
By bringing clinical care into the school, the program reduces the time students spend away from the classroom while simplifying access for parents. It addresses the school's previous inability to provide independent clinical support for behavioral health.
Data collected over eight years shows a 70% to 75% reduction in major discipline incidents at the school. Approximately 1% to 2% of the student body utilizes the clinical services annually through this long-running partnership.
The players
Simle Middle School
A Bismarck-based middle school that implemented a behavioral health model now being shared as a toolkit with other districts.
Sanford Health
A comprehensive health system that partners with seven local schools to provide onsite clinical mental health services.
The details
The program functions by integrating clinical mental health care directly into the school environment through a partnership with Sanford Health. Students are referred to the psychologist by teachers or staff based on changes in behavior, attendance, or grades. The clinician visits the school two days per week to conduct sessions, and staff members meet with the provider twice per month to coordinate care. Clinical visits are billed through standard insurance plans.
Timeline
The school began using this structured support system eight years ago.
A Sanford Health psychologist currently visits the school two days weekly.
Health Landscape
This program follows the pattern set by the broader School-Based Health Alliance movement, which advocates for embedding medical and behavioral care in school settings. It represents a shift toward integrating clinical mental health resources into the educational environment to improve student stability.
If you notice sudden changes in your child's behavior, grades, or attendance, it is worth discussing the availability of school-based support resources with your child's counselor. Parents should consult with their doctor about whether these clinical services align with their child's existing mental health care plan.
The takeaway
Integrating behavioral health into the classroom can lead to significant reductions in school discipline and improved continuity of care. Parents should track changes in their child's daily habits and consult with school staff to identify available mental health resources on campus.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving standards for care, explore our Mental Health section.
More information
Review the behavioral health toolkit for more details on implementing these school-based standards.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kfyrtv.
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