The Maricopa County Department of Public Health announced on May 7 that it is partnering with mental health provider Cartwheel to launch a countywide, school-based telehealth initiative aimed at reaching 50,000 students in its first year.
The new program seeks to address barriers to mental health care by expanding access to telemental health services, especially in areas identified as medically underserved due to provider shortages and other challenges. In these communities, families often wait months for mental health services. The department has selected an initial list of schools and Cartwheel will be contacting them about participation.
“Providing behavioral health services to students in their schools is enormously effective,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee, District 3. “We can connect with students and their families and more quickly identify and address behaviors that could lead to harmful outcomes.”
Participating K-12 schools will be able to refer students for evidence-based therapy, family support, parent coaching, and psychiatric care through a coordinated model that works alongside existing school support systems. Services are voluntary and require parental consent; families remain involved throughout the process. Initial telehealth appointments are typically available within about a week, connecting students with licensed providers much faster than traditional models. Cartwheel will bill family insurance when possible; Maricopa County will cover any remaining costs so no student is denied care due to inability to pay.
Cartwheel brings experience from supporting school districts across Arizona through an initiative led by the Arizona Department of Education. This partnership supports Maricopa County’s efforts to improve access locally where care can be hard to find.
“Every student in Maricopa County deserves access to high-quality mental health care without waiting months, without transportation barriers, and without cost standing in the way,” said Dr. Juliana Chen, child and adolescent psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Cartwheel. “We have spent the past year building the clinical team and community relationships needed to serve Maricopa County families from day one.”
Funding for this work comes from approximately $586,000 awarded through Juul Labs settlement funds; the contract began April 1 and continues through the 2026–2027 school year.
“This partnership reflects our commitment to practical, community-based solutions that improve access to care and support student well-being,” said Carmen Batista, MCDPH administrator for the Health Outreach Partnerships & Empowerment division. “By working closely with schools and families, we are building a system that is responsive, sustainable, and designed to meet the needs of our communities.”
Academic achievement remains a concern: In Maricopa County during the 2022-23 school year AASA assessments for grades three through eight showed that 62.9% failed mathematics while 57.2% failed English sections; among high schoolers taking ACTs during this period 65% failed mathematics while 57% failed English sections according to the Arizona Department of Education. For more recent data from the same source: During the following academic year (2023-24), only about one-third passed math sections—33.9% on ACTs among high schoolers—and just over one-third (36%) passed math on AASA tests among younger students according again to Arizona Department of Education.
School districts interested in joining or learning more about future opportunities are encouraged by officials at both organizations to contact Cartwheel.
