Case Study: Westford Academy expands student mental health access and reduces hospitalizations with Cartwheel Health Services

Westford Academy cuts student wait times to days with Cartwheel, supporting 160 referrals

Westford Academy, a public high school in Massachusetts, faced a significant challenge in providing timely mental health care to its students, as families referred to outside providers were encountering waitlists of six months or more. The school partnered with vendor Cartwheel Health Services to gain access to their rapid clinical care service, which offered a zero-waitlist model.

By collaborating with the Town of Westford to utilize opioid settlement funds, Cartwheel provided a solution that connected students to care within days. The results were substantial: over 1,800 therapy sessions were delivered, hospitalizations dropped by 54%, and more than 40% of students who completed treatment moved into a lower anxiety or depression category.

Westford Academy