Project Grant H79SM084193

NORTHERN WAYNE COUNTY TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MHAT PROJECT - IN ORDER TO PREVENT SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG OUR STUDENTS AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO THOSE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OR DISORDER, THE NORTHERN WAYNE COUNTY TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MHAT PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A SYSTEMIC, COMMUNITY-SCHOOLS BASED TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WILL TRAIN TRAINERS, INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, AND COMMUNITY STAFF WHO WORK WITH YOUTH IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND THERAPEUTIC CRISIS INTERVENTION IN SCHOOLS. NORTH ROSE-WOLCOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL LEAD A CONSORTIUM OF FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDING RED CREEK, SODUS, AND WILLIAMSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED AGENCIES INCLUDING THE VETERANS SERVICE AGENCY, WAYNE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK AND THE WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WAYNE COUNTY IS A SMALL, RURAL COUNTY WITH A POPULATION OF 89,918 (2019 CENSUS). STUDENTS AFFECTED BY THIS PROJECT WERE TWICE AS LIKELY TO REPORT FEELING SAD MOST DAYS AND THREE AND A HALF TIMES AS LIKELY TO HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SUICIDE. INTENTIONAL TRAINING OF INSTRUCTIONAL AND COMMUNITY STAFF POPULATIONS WILL BUILD CAPACITY TO IDENTIFY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, AND TEACH DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES TO USE TO HELP COACH STUDENTS THROUGH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A SELF-SUSTAINING TRAINING MODEL BY TRAINING MENTAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM STAFF AS TRAINERS IN YMHFA AND TCIS. BY YEAR 5, 18 CONSORTIUM STAFF WILL BE TRAINED AS YMHFA TRAINERS, AND 18 CONSORTIUM STAFF WILL BE TRAINED AS TCIS TRAINERS, WITH 4 CERTIFIED TO TRAIN NEW TRAINERS. IN YEAR 1, 116 STAFF WILL BE TRAINED. IN YEAR 2, 196 STAFF WILL BE TRAINED. IN YEAR 3, 228 STAFF WILL BE TRAINED. IN YEAR 4, 268 STAFF WILL BE TRAINED. IN YEAR 5, 324 STAFF WILL BE TRAINED, FOR A TOTAL OF 1132 STAFF (INCLUDING TRAINERS) IN THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY TRAINED IN TCIS AND YMHFA. IF ALL 800 YMHFA TRAINEES MAKE THREE REFERRALS, AT LEAST 2400 STUDENTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS: GOAL 1: INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATELY RESPOND TO STUDENTS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. OUTCOME 1.1 - BY SEPTEMBER 2026, TRAIN 36 MENTAL HEALTH STAFF AS TRAINERS IN EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH BASED SUPPORT PROGRAMS. OUTCOME 1.2 - BY SEPTEMBER 2026, TRAIN 740 INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IN YMHFA OR TCIS. OUTCOME 1.3 - BY SEPTEMBER 2026, TRAIN 360 COMMUNITY STAFF IN YMHFA OR TCIS. OUTCOME 1.4 - BY THE END OF 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR, INCREASE REFERRALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO 2400. GOAL 2: INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO REFER AND SUPPORT STUDENTS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. OUTCOME 2.1 - BY THE END OF THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF 14-18 YEAR OLDS BEING SCREENED ANNUALLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE BY 50%. OUTCOME 2.2 - BY THE END OF THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH BEING SERVED ANNUALLY BY WAYNE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BY 35%.