DCA District Spotlight: Harford County Public Schools in Maryland

In March 2024, The Jed Foundation (JED) and AASA, The School Superintendents Association, announced the selection of 15 school districts to participate in the District Comprehensive Approach (DCA) pilot, a transformational program that guides districts in improving systems of support for pre-K–12 students’ emotional well-being. 

In an ongoing series of blog posts, we feature each of the 15 districts and their work learning and leading powerful mental health and suicide prevention practices that will benefit students around the country.

District: Harford County Public Schools in Maryland

Number of schools: 55

Number of students: 38,000+

About the district: Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) is located in the northeastern portion of Maryland. The district’s mission is for each student to attain academic and personal success in a safe and caring environment that honors the diversity of its students and staff. 

JED and AASA asked Dr. Sean Bulson, superintendent of HCPS, about what the district hopes to accomplish during its time in the DCA program. (Responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity.)

Why is student emotional well-being a priority for your district?

We are focused on the whole child, and we understand that a student’s emotional well-being plays a vital role in not only their wellness, but their academic performance and chance at future success as well. 

What does your participation in the DCA program mean for the well-being of your students and the culture of your district?

It means our students will benefit from programs and initiatives that we put in place as a result of the work we do with JED and AASA. We will not only incorporate new ideas into our existing programs, but also refine our processes and provide a state-of-the-art wellness program that will have benefits for the entire community.

Please tell us about an existing program or initiative and how you build on it as part of your work with DCA. 

Each year, HCPS administers the Wellness Needs Assessment. This tool is used to gather data about the mental and physical wellness of students in grades 3 to 12. In response to this data, schools develop and implement programming that will address their students’ needs. Through our work with JED, we have been able to take a deeper dive into our existing programs countywide. We plan to explore ways for these programs to expand into other schools and make a larger impact on more students. 

Where do you hope to move the needle in your district as it relates to mental health?

We hope to help our staff incorporate social and emotional skills into daily lessons that are employability competencies. In doing so, we can better prepare our students for a successful life after graduation. We are also focused on addressing students’ experiences with suicidal ideation.