According to the CDC, nearly one-third of students face mental health challenges. In response, Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS) received a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program.
This grant will last for five years and support RCAS’s Comprehensive Mental Health Enhancement Initiative, aimed at meeting the mental health needs of middle and high school students.
With the funding, the district plans to hire a board-certified behavioral analyst, three middle school counselors, and three high school social workers. The grant will also help RCAS address cultural aspects of mental health and provide trauma-informed care.
The initiative has several key goals:
Reduce the student-to-mental health provider ratio from 434:1 to 361:1.
Lower the student-to-counselor ratio from 283:1 to 217:1.
Increase mental health service sessions by 25%.
Improve student well-being by decreasing reported anxiety and depression by 25%.
Cory Strasser, acting superintendent of RCAS, emphasized the importance of mental health support in schools. He stated,
“We see kids every day for most of the school year. It’s crucial to expand access to these services so students can develop and feel good about being in school.”
After the five-year period, Strasser noted that the district would evaluate the ongoing need for these services and how to sustain them if necessary.
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