NVUSD Middle-Schoolers To Get More Mental Health Services in 2015-16

News from the Napa Valley Unified School District:

Students at NVUSD’s four comprehensive middle schools will have greater access to counseling and other mental health services starting in the fall, thanks to a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Education.

The grant provides $400,000 each year to hire a half-time social worker at each school and a part-time psychologist who will work with the most at-risk students at all four schools, as well as a part-time director. The staff will focus on school climate and culture, truancy, students’ mental health, and teaching social and emotional skills.

“This grant is a major shot in the arm for our efforts to help students whose emotional or mental issues keep them from learning as well as they can or cause them to be disruptive,” said Superintendent Patrick Sweeney. “Even students who don’t have those issues will benefit, because teachers will be able to spend more time focusing on teaching and learning.”

• Related: Parents and Teens Need Access to Mental Health Care

NVUSD and Napa Valley Education Foundation staff wrote the application to address student and family needs at American Canyon, Harvest, Redwood and Silverado middle schools.

“So many changes happen during the all-important middle school years,” said Elena Toscano, assistant superintendent for instruction. “Helping students and parents navigate these changes strengthens school-family partnerships and benefits the entire community.”

In conjunction with the greater health care community, NVUSD is exploring a Wellness Center model at schools, where space would be designated for providing students with services provided by school social workers, counselors and psychologists; school nurses; and community support services such as those provided by Napa County Health and Human Services and other local nonprofits, all under one roof. Many community agencies wrote letters of support for the grant application.

The grant will also allow for a pilot Wellness Center at one of the four schools, which is yet to be selected. About 3,500 students attend the four schools.

The U.S. Dept. of Education Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Programs Grant program announced awards of more than $24 million to 67 school districts in 26 states last week.

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