Project Grant H79SM084315

MILLARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS GRANT - THE MILLARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING GRANT PROVIDES SUPPORT WITH THREE SPECIFIC GOALS AND PLANS TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL STAFF, INCREASING ACCESS TO SCHOOL-BASED AND COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, AND INCREASING ACCESS TO READILY AVAILABLE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHEN A CHILD IS IN NEED. COLLECTIVELY, THE GOALS OF THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF SCHOOL STAFF TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE PRESENTING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. THE FIRST GOAL PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO HELP STAFF RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF STUDENTS. THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF INCLUDE PROVIDING A SAFE AND ENGAGING CLASSROOM, RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL DISORDERS, AND SAFELY DE-ESCALATING A CRISIS SITUATION. TRAINING ROOTED IN EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES WILL IMPACT OUR 1703 CERTIFICATED TEACHERS, 322 PARA- PROFESSIONALS, AND 86 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS FOR A TOTAL OF 2111 STAFF MEMBERS. THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ABILITY OF STAFF TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOW TO APPROPRIATELY AND SAFELY RESPOND WOULD IMPACT OUR ENTIRE STUDENT POPULATION OF 23,659 PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF WHITE/ CAUCASIAN (77%), HISPANIC/LATINO (9%), AND ASIAN (6%) STUDENTS. MILLARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2019-2020 STUDENT SERVICES REPORT INDICATES AN INCREASE IN THE REFERRAL DATA FOR COUNSELING AND SOCIAL WORKER CONTACTS ALONG WITH REFERRALS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES. THE SECOND GOAL WILL DEVELOP A SYSTEM TO ASSIST SCHOOLS IN CONNECTING PK-12 STUDENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN-DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY BASED. WE WILL DECREASE UNADDRESSED STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS BY IMPLEMENTING A REFERRAL SYSTEM TO SCHOOL-BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS. REFERRAL IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE BASED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MILLARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS (MTSS) FOR BEHAVIOR ALONG WITH A PILOT PROJECT CONDUCTED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER'S MUNROE-MEYER INSTITUTE. AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES WILL BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS BY IMPLEMENTING SYSTEMIC PRACTICES. THE THIRD GOAL ADDRESSES THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO MENTAL HEALTH BY CURATING AND COMMUNICATING FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT FAMILIES AND STAFF CAN READILY ACCESS. WE WILL ENGAGE IN EFFORTS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY WITH INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. THE DISTRICT WILL CURATE THE CURRENT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY, IDENTIFY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE GAPS, AND CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE THAT CONNECTS FAMILIES AND STAFF WITH IN-DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS.