Certified Companion Rides for Student and Faculty Wellness
Prepared for Baltimore City Public Schools
MindRide proposes a partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) to provide certified companion transportation for students attending therapy appointments and faculty members seeking mental wellness support.
Our trained, background-checked Companion Drivers are certified Mental Health Advocates trained in active listening, empathy techniques, healthy boundaries, and crisis-ready response. They are not therapists. They provide a safe, supportive ride experience that helps students arrive to therapy calm and centered, and return to school ready to learn.
A structured pilot program for 3 to 5 Baltimore City schools, funded through a combination of school district budget, parent buy-in programs, insurance partnerships, and available grants. The pilot runs 6 months with measurable outcomes including therapy attendance rates, student satisfaction, and faculty utilization.
Baltimore's students face disproportionate mental health challenges. City Schools serves approximately 76,000 students, many of whom experience poverty, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) at rates well above the national average.
Students who need therapy often cannot get there. Parents are working. Public transit routes are unreliable or unsafe for minors. School counselors can refer students to outside therapists, but the ride to and from the appointment becomes the barrier that breaks the care chain.
Faculty and staff face their own burnout cycle. Teachers in high-need schools report elevated rates of secondary trauma, yet they rarely prioritize their own mental health appointments because of time, cost, and transportation logistics.
Traditional rideshare offers transportation but zero emotional support. Therapy offers support but only one hour per week. MindRide bridges both: a certified companion who listens, supports, and transports safely to and from mental health appointments. We're much more than a rideshare.
MindRide provides certified companion rides tailored to the unique needs of students and school faculty. Every driver is a certified Mental Health Advocate trained in companion presence and crisis-ready response before taking their first ride.
Door-to-door transportation to and from therapy appointments. The driver provides calm, supportive conversation during the ride, helping the student or faculty member arrive centered and decompress afterward. Ideal for students with off-campus therapy referrals.
A companion ride for meaningful conversation. For students having a tough day, faculty processing a difficult classroom situation, or anyone who just needs someone present and trained to listen. Not therapy. Not counseling. Certified companion support.
Active listening with no advice and no judgment. A safe space to express freely and be heard. The driver listens, validates, and provides a calm environment. Particularly effective for students dealing with peer conflict, family stress, or emotional overwhelm.
Every MindRide Companion Driver completes the following before accepting any ride:
School counselors, social workers, or designated faculty identify students who have active therapy referrals but face transportation barriers. Rides are scheduled through a dedicated school coordinator dashboard or by calling MindRide directly.
Teachers and staff can request MindRide rides for their own therapy appointments or as a wellness benefit. Rides can be scheduled during planning periods, before/after school, or during professional development days.
When a school counselor determines a student needs immediate access to a mental health provider (non-emergency), MindRide can dispatch a certified companion driver within 30 minutes. This is not a replacement for 911 or crisis teams. This is for situations where a student needs to see a provider today, not next week.
MindRide is designed to be affordable for school systems through a blended funding approach. No single source needs to cover the full cost.
City Schools allocates a per-school annual budget for student wellness transportation. MindRide provides volume pricing for district contracts: lower per-mile rates in exchange for guaranteed ride volume.
Parents or guardians can enroll their child in a monthly MindRide plan. Plans start at $49/month for up to 4 rides, making it accessible for families who can contribute while the school covers students who cannot.
MindRide is pursuing NEMT (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation) certification. Once certified, rides to therapy appointments may be reimbursable through Medicaid, Maryland Medical Assistance, and private insurance behavioral health benefits.
Federal and state grants for student mental health (SAMHSA, Maryland Behavioral Health Administration, Title IV-A) can be applied to transportation services that improve therapy attendance and outcomes.
| Service | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Ride (off-peak) | $2.00/mile | Weekdays 9 AM to 4 PM, 7 PM to 10 PM |
| Peak Ride | $2.50/mile | Weekdays 7 to 9 AM and 4 to 7 PM |
| Wait Time (at therapist) | $0.30/min | First 10 minutes included free |
| District Volume Discount | 15% off | For contracts of 100+ rides/month |
| Average Student Round Trip (8 mi) | $16.00 to $20.00 | Including wait time at therapist |
A missed therapy session costs the healthcare system an estimated $150 to $300 per occurrence. A MindRide round trip that ensures the session happens costs $16 to $20. For every $1 spent on transportation, the system saves $8 to $15 in missed-appointment costs and downstream crisis intervention.
Student safety is the foundation of this program. MindRide exceeds standard rideshare safety protocols with measures specifically designed for minor passengers and school environments.
If a student discloses abuse, self-harm intent, or any mandated-reporting situation during a ride, the driver follows a strict protocol:
We propose a 6-month pilot in 3 to 5 Baltimore City schools, selected in partnership with City Schools administration based on highest need and existing mental health referral volume.
Finalize school selections, sign participation agreements, train school coordinators, distribute parent consent forms, onboard dedicated pilot drivers.
Begin rides at 2 pilot schools. Limit to Ride to Therapist only. Collect feedback from students, parents, counselors, and drivers weekly.
Expand to all pilot schools. Open Talk & Ride and Vent & Ride options. Enable faculty wellness rides. Bi-weekly feedback and program adjustment.
Compile utilization data, therapy attendance rates, student satisfaction surveys, faculty feedback, cost analysis. Prepare evaluation report.
Present pilot results to City Schools leadership. Recommend continuation, expansion to additional schools, or program adjustments based on outcomes.
| Metric | Target | How Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Therapy attendance rate (students using MindRide) | 85%+ attendance | Therapist confirmation of attended sessions |
| Student satisfaction | 4.5+ out of 5 | Post-ride survey (age-appropriate) |
| Parent satisfaction | 4.0+ out of 5 | Monthly parent survey |
| Faculty utilization | 20%+ of eligible faculty | Anonymized enrollment data |
| Safety incidents | Zero | Incident reporting system |
| Average response time | Under 20 minutes | Ride request to pickup timestamp |
| Line Item | Monthly | 6-Month Total |
|---|---|---|
| Student rides (estimated 120 round trips/month across pilot schools) | $2,160 | $12,960 |
| Faculty rides (estimated 40 rides/month) | $720 | $4,320 |
| Program coordination & reporting | $500 | $3,000 |
| Technology setup (school coordinator dashboard) | $1,500 | |
| Total Pilot Cost | $21,780 |
The $21,780 pilot cost can be covered through existing Title IV-A funds (student support and academic enrichment), Maryland Behavioral Health Administration grants, or the school district's existing student wellness budget. MindRide will assist with grant application language and documentation.
Baltimore is not just a starting point. It is the right starting point. A successful partnership here creates a replicable model for urban school districts across the country.
MindRide is a certified companion transportation service founded on a simple belief: the ride to therapy matters as much as the session itself. Our certified Companion Drivers are trained to listen, support, and transport. They are not therapists. They are trained, insured, certified professionals who provide what no other rideshare company does: emotional safety during transportation.
MindRide drivers complete certification through Green Heart University, carry full commercial insurance, and operate vehicles that display official MindRide branding. Every ride is tracked in real time, and every driver undergoes continuous background monitoring.
We would welcome a conversation with City Schools leadership about how MindRide can support your students and faculty. We are prepared to present this proposal in person, answer questions, and customize the pilot to meet your specific needs.
hello@mindride.orgmindride.org
© 2026 MindRide, Inc. This proposal is confidential and intended solely for the recipient organization.