Angels Camp, CA…The Calaveras Health and Human Services Agency/Behavioral Health Services Division (CHHSA) and Calaveras County Office of Education (CCOE) have been awarded a competitive four-year, $2.5 million Mental Health Services Act grant to support student mental health in local elementary schools. “This project is the culmination of years of working together to build more mental health programs for our children,” said CHHSA Director Kristin Stranger. “We’ve been partnering with CCOE to provide crisis services, intervention programs and school culture programs for many years, but this is the first time we’ve had an opportunity to deliver early intervention services for our youngest students. We’re very excited about what this will mean for our schools and families, especially with the added stress of COVID-19 and distance learning.”

CCOE Superintendent Scott Nanik agreed. “This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time for our schools,” he said. “Staff members as well as families have been coping with so many changes and challenges that nearly everyone needs some measure of mental health support by now.”

The partnership will contract with community-based nonprofit Sierra Child and Family Services to provide on-campus mental wellness “centers” at all elementary schools in Calaveras County. Working in concert with school counselors and administrators, a small team of mental wellness professionals will establish a regular presence at elementary schools for training and relationship-building, and be deployed around the county for special events and circumstances. The services include trainings for staff, students and families in coping and resiliency skills; targeted interventions for students experiencing trauma or other mental health stresses; and specific treatment for students exhibiting higher level symptoms. Services will be available to every student, regardless of insurance or income eligibility.

Superintendent Nanik added, “The grant will allow us to create the infrastructure we need to provide these services into the future. Once this component is in place, Calaveras County will have a full continuum of student mental health services – prevention/education, intervention, and crisis response – available to all grade levels in our county.”

The opportunity came about when the state Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) offered a competitive funding opportunity for county mental health or behavioral health departments to partner with local educational entities “to increase access to mental health services in locations that are easily accessible to students and their families.” Four small counties were selected for funding as New or Emerging Partnerships, with Calaveras County’s application receiving the highest score among the ten applicants.

The development of wellness centers on school campuses will provide students with safe and supportive services and promote emotional health, school engagement, and positive connections with peers, teachers, and families. There is an enormous need for mental health services and other school-based programs which contribute to the healthy development of young people. Mental health problems already affect one in seven children in the United States, and rates go up during community crises. These mental health issues include anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior problems, and sleep disorders.

For more information about student mental health programs, please visit CCOE’s website at https://www.ccoe.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/studentmentalhealth/.

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