![The grant program provides funds for recruiting and retaining school-based mental health services providers, as well as increasing the diversity and cultural/linguistic competency among providers. The practitioners will receive comprehensive training with a particular focus on the students and communities the school serves. File photo](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Large_Clark-County-Today-Hudsons-Bay-High-School-01.jpg)
The grant spans four years and will serve at least 7,500 middle school and high school youth and families in the VPS District
Vancouver Public Schools is one of several hundred schools in the country to receive funding from a school-based mental health services grant program through the U.S. Dept. of Education. The grant spans four years and will serve at least 7,500 middle school and high school youth and families in the VPS District.
The grant program provides funds for recruiting and retaining school-based mental health services providers, as well as increasing the diversity and cultural/linguistic competency among providers. The practitioners will receive comprehensive training with a particular focus on the students and communities the school serves.
The school district will also use the funding to ensure that students will have access to mental health care that mirrors their cultural experience and that students are aware of how to access these services as needed. It will also ensure that staff feels supported and equipped with the tools to identify mental health needs in students.
This funding arrived at a crucial time when students’ needs for additional mental health supports are much higher than they have been in the past, but Federal funding (ESSER funds) granted during the pandemic for this purpose is set to sunset at the end of 2023.
“We are grateful that the DOE has prioritized this need for students. This additional support will not only allow us to maintain essential mental health offerings for students but also offer them in a way that our diverse mix of students can relate to and utilize. There is no doubt that having supports like these for students is critical for their success, and better all around for the community.” said Dr. Jeff Snell, Vancouver Public Schools superintendent.
The DOE has designated funding of $1.7 million to VPS in year one.
Information provided by Vancouver Public Schools.
Also read:
- Opinion: OIC tells consumers not to pay for ‘insurance’ you won’t likely benefit from: Does that include WA Cares?Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center believes you should consider yourself warned by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about WA Cares and its maybe-only benefit.
- Opinion: Same road, different speed limit?Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl addresses a question about speed limit signs going into and leaving town.
- Progress being made at GRO Parade of Homes siteThe 2024 GRO Parade of Homes, presented by the Building Industry Association of Clark County, is a little more than a month away, and builders are busy completing the luxury homes before the big event, scheduled for Sept. 6 through 22 in Felida.
- Has trust in the media tanked over coverage of President Biden’s decline?After President Joe Biden’s calamitous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, and days after Biden’s decision Sunday not to seek reelection, there are still many questions about how the news media covered Biden’s mental and physical decline.
- Opinion: Hiding the growing cost of the Interstate Bridge replacementJoe Cortright of the City Observatory addresses the rising cost of the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project.
- Letter: ‘This election I am NOT voting for Greg Cheney’Clark County resident Wynn Grcich shares her thoughts on Rep. Greg Cheney and the issue of fluoridation in area drinking water.
- Major gas line leak closes major arterial in Clark CountyFirefighters from Clark County Fire District 6 responded Thursday (July 25) afternoon to the scene of a major natural gas leak on NE 99th Street, directly in front of Columbia River High School.