Grant to VCSC adds to mental health care
Tribune-StarMar 16, 2019
The additional services are being funded through Project AWARE, a five-year,
"This is a wonderful opportunity for our community," said
On Friday, Stevens and
School counselors will identify students who can benefit.
Providers represented were FSA Counseling, Hamilton Center, Harsha Behavioral Center, Gibault and
Topics that could be covered in group counseling sessions include bullying prevention, skills for healthy relationships, anger management, conflict resolution, stress management and grief/loss.
The district received notice of the grant in mid-September. "We had a lot of homework to do first" in ironing out details for grant implementation, Stevens said.
The district, one of three chosen statewide to receive the federal funding, hopes to expand on programming already in place, and those efforts will serve as a model for the rest of the state.
More vendors could be used in the future. Officials have allocated
Other initiatives have been underway as well.
--Mental Health America of
--The district is contracting with
--Hamilton Center has provided Youth Mental Health First Aid Training to staff and the goal is to train 240 staff this year. "There are a lot of training opportunities through this grant," Stevens said.
The Project AWARE grant will help ensure that all children who need mental health services have access to those services, Stevens said last fall.
When a student experiences depression, anxiety or other mental health issues, "It really impacts the child's educational progress," Stevens said at that time. "Until we can get those issues resolved, it will impede their learning."
Separate from the Project AWARE grant, Hamilton Center already has staff assigned to different schools, both therapists and care managers, who provide services in the schools.
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