Grant will help Fauquier Schools train 1000+ to respond to youth mental health issues

The US Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $100,000 grant to Fauquier County Public Schools for a project that will train more than 1,000 school personnel and community members to respond to mental illness in children and youth.

The project, called the AWARE Community Responders Project, will train individuals in what’s called “youth mental health first aid,” which introduces participants to the risk factors and symptoms of mental health problems, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help a youth who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health or substance abuse challenge.

“Many parents are looking to the schools for help,” said Carolyn Lamm, FCPS supervisor of student support services, noting that the project will significantly expand the numbers of school and community members able to assist parents with these concerns. 

“There is a need for a cadre of people to be trained for recognition, prevention and intervention in mental health concerns.”  Lamm said the 1,000+ mental health first aiders will considerably increase mental health awareness among the target population of 11,000 FCPS school-age youth.

Not only will awareness rise, she said, but the trained responders will be better prepared to intervene and to understand referral and treatment services.

The two-year grant ($50,000 each year) will mean that 11 instructors will be trained; four new instructors from the school division and two new instructors from the community will be trained by January 2015, three existing adult mental health first aid (MHFA) instructors will become certified in youth MHFA, and two additional school staff will be trained next year.

The 11 instructors will then train 800 FCPS personnel and 200 community members who serve youth; 12 classes will be held the first year and 28 the second year.

Grant money is already designated to pay for substitute teachers while classroom teachers take the eight-hour training.

The school division will work with the local Mental Health Association to identify potential community trainees in organizations that have frequent contact with youth, for example, Social Services, Boys’ and Girls’ Club, faith communities, etc.  – “people who would come in contact with kids with mental health concerns,” said Lamm.

Getting the $100,000 grant is a feather in Fauquier County’s cap.

“We are the only school division in the state to get it,” said Lamm. “We really had an up-swelling of positive support for this,” including 16 local agencies that submitted letters of support.

Members of the school division and mental health professionals in the community are keenly aware of the need for a project like the AWARE Community Responders Project.

For one thing, the school division has seen a sharp increase in the number of students experiencing severe levels of anxiety, said Trena Stalfort, a licensed clinical social worker and the mental health specialist for FCPS.

“Last year, when FCPS offered training for parents in recognizing and dealing with anxiety, the turnout was so large – more than 120 parents responded – that the venue had to be changed, and an evening session was added. It was evident from the discussion that these families are struggling with children who get sick every morning before school, who are refusing to go to school at all or exhibiting other symptoms,” said Stalfort, who will serve as the coordinator of the Project AWARE grant.

The Fauquier Health Foundation reported in its June 2014 triennial community health needs assessment that depression and other mental health concerns were the second and third most frequently cited concerns among community stakeholders, preceded only by adult obesity; in terms of service gaps, mental health was the most frequently cited concern.

On April 29, 2014, the Mental Health Association of Fauquier hosted a Community Dialogue on Mental Health; the 70 participants included parents, individuals with mental illness, school administrators and counselors, the local health department, Social Services, law enforcement agencies, several local government agencies and mental health practitioners.

The top concern cited by the participants was the need to increase community awareness and education to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness and mental health treatment and especially to teach parents to recognize red flags related to mental health concerns and to help them find resources.

“It is important to start changing the mindset of the community regarding mental health concerns,” said Stalfort. “As a community we need to be as accepting of mental health concerns as we are of medial issues. It is all about wellness, physical and mental wellness. This grant is a step in that direction.”

For the past eight years the school division has worked in collaboration with fellow members of the Mental Health School Coalition (comprised of the Mental Health Association, juvenile court, private mental health providers, and Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services) to improve school climate, prevent bullying, prevent suicides and respond to children experiencing severe anxiety.

A major thrust of the collaboration has been to increase the capacity of school employees to recognize and respond to potential mental health issues. The mental health first aid curriculum is an evidence-based approach to increasing that awareness among teachers and other staff.

“It is a real honor for Fauquier County Public Schools to receive this funding,” said Frank Finn, assistant superintendent for student services and special education. “It is important for school personnel and community leaders, who interact with our children and adolescents every day, to be prepared to address their mental health needs.”