DSOHF Schools

The Office of Education Services

The Department of Health and Human Services education programs serve a unique population of special needs clients across the state of North Carolina. Educational services include programs for children with special needs and for the adult population that have a rehabilitative focus. Individualized programs and services are designed to enable at-risk and special needs populations to succeed in a challenging world.

The Office of Education Services (OES) serves the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) and is recognized as public school unit 997. The mission of OES is to provide quality, comprehensive, developmental, and educational opportunities for students to develop the skills necessary to reach their highest potential for independent and successful lives.

OES is committed to achieving the following goals:

• Provide safe learning environments for all children participating in OES programs and safe working environments for all OES employees.
• Implement strong, appropriately developed curricula that use varied resources and focus on students’ individual learning needs.
• Transition students to continuing educational placements and/or life opportunities where they can be as successful as possible.
• Include parent participation in programming, education, and communication skill development to foster positive parental involvement in all aspects of students’ development.
• Develop and support a culture that values and defines successful staff as professionals who are life-long learners that practice and reflect on skills to improve their job performance and satisfaction as well as services to students and their families.
• Increase the number and quality of collaborative partnerships between and among OES programs, local education agencies (LEAs), DHHS divisions, state departments, and institutes of higher education (IHEs).

OES provides information and services for the 3 schools located within the state psychiatric hospitals, the 4 schools within the state developmental centers, and the educational programs of Wright School, and Whitaker Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. In addition, OES provides licensure and contract support services for Rehabilitation of the Blind and the Family, Infant, and Preschool Program (FIPP). View the table below for the full list of DSOHF Schools.

Employment Opportunities

Interested in a career with DSOHF Schools? View our current employment opportunities.

Contact Us

3006 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
Phone: (919) 855-4700
Karen Burkes, Superintendent
Kimberly Kennedy, Assistant Superintendent

School Programs

The DSOHF Schools serve as the educational agent during a student’s facility admission. They ensure students have the opportunity to continue meeting educational requirements, and that their individualized education programs are implemented.

The Wright and Whitaker facilities provide residential treatment for children with serious emotional disorders; and serve their families and communities by providing individualized assessment, planning, and treatment activities at the facility that inform and complement intensive outreach efforts to identify family and community resources to meet each child’s special needs.

Admissions

Eligible persons admitted to state operated healthcare facilities are enrolled in their facility's school. Referrals to the state operated healthcare facilities are made through community healthcare providers or Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs). If the patient does not have a community provider, the LME/MCO for their county can assist with scheduling an initial appointment with a provider in their area. Please reference the LME/MCO Directory to find the appropriate LME/MCO.

Below is the list of DSOHF Schools. Select the DSOHF Facility to learn more about their services and admission criteria.