TRAUMA INFORMED SYSTEM OF CARE: MID FAIRFIELD SCHOOL BASED INITIATIVE (ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM EXPANSION) - MID-FAIRFIELD CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER (MFCGC) NCTSI III PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF THE MFCGC, THE NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS (NPS), THE CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (CHDI), AND NORWALK ACTS. THE PROJECT IS TITLED: TRAUMA INFORMED SYSTEM OF CARE: MID FAIRFIELD SCHOOL BASED INITIATIVE (ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM EXPANSION). THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THREE SCHOOLS IN THE NPS. THE THREE SCHOOLS SELECTED WILL BE HIGH NEED SCHOOLS (HIGH PERCENTAGES OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, ETC.). THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PROJECT IS THE INCORPORATION OF TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF CURRENT AND PAST EXPERIENCES ON THE SCHOOL AGED YOUTH'S CURRENT BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS PRACTICE PROMOTES POSITIVE, PRO-ACTIVE STRATEGIES TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WHICH SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM MODEL IS BASED ON THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT (MTSS) FRAMEWORK WHICH PROMOTES INCREASING AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH EDUCATION AT THE LOWEST LEVEL TO PROVIDING MORE INTENSIVE DIRECT SERVICES FOR SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF NEED. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO USE EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA AND DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING TO PROVIDE A CLEAR FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR ISSUES WHILE PROMOTING A HEALTHY SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE: 1) INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO TRAUMA FOCUSED SERVICES TO NPS ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. 2) PROVIDE INTENSIVE HIGH FIDELITY WRAPAROUND CARE COORDINATION FOR NPS STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. 3) INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF TRAUMA OF INDIVIDUALS INTERACTING WITH SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH TO UNDERSTAND AND DETECT THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA. THE OBJECTIVES TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS INCLUDE: THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PLAN AT THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS; PROMOTE INCREASED COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NPS AND MFCGC; AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO THE THREE PARTNER SCHOOLS TO ENSURE PROJECT GOALS ARE IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY. FUNDS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THE THREE PARTNER SCHOOLS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS. DURING YEAR 1 OF THE PROJECT, BETWEEN 55-60 STUDENTS REQUIRING BRIEF INTERVENTIONS AND/OR MORE INTENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WILL BE SERVED AND DURING YEARS 2-5 BETWEEN 85-90 STUDENTS PER YEAR WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THESE SERVICES. BETWEEN 395-420 STUDENTS WILL BE SERVED DURING THE 5-YEAR FUNDING PERIOD.