IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — Iredell-Statesville Schools (ISS) secured millions of dollars to offer mental health services to students as part of a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Education.
The grant, known as Project RESOLVE, offers these services to students over the course of the next five years. The district plans to use the $17 million in federal funds to hire 22 school-based therapists with clinical licensure, with the goal of improving school safety. ISS has also previously been awarded three other federal grants to support mental health.
“I think the federal government when they look at us, they say 'these guys are well poised to do great things with these funds,'" Kelly Marcy, Executive Director of Student Support Services said.
ISS reports in the last month there have been 20 crisis calls received from students. This involves an emergency scenario when a child is in immediate danger of seriously hurting themselves or someone else.
“Something that we wrote into this grant is a crisis worker and having a crisis line, like a cell phone you can call, and our expectation is that within one hour a clinician will be on a school campus to help assess that student and make it safe," Jessica Smith Student Support Services Program Director said.
School district leaders said they hope this program will lower anxiety and reduce violence while building emotional management for students. Right now there are 10 therapists working to serve more than 170 students across the district. With the added help comes the hope that more meaningful relationships can also be formed.
"Schools have expressed the desire to have this kind of support because they are seeing a rise in children having these mental health issues that are happening at school," said Charlene Wong, the executive director of North Carolina Integrated Care for Kids.
For years, the district has been innovative in its efforts to address the growing mental health needs of its students. It says Project RESOLVE will allow schools to focus on kids' needs. As part of the new grant, once-a-month family sessions will also be implemented so students can transfer the school-based therapy practices to home.
Boen Nutting, the chief of strategic planning and student services for Iredell-Statesville Schools, said anxiety and depression are serious problems for young people. Nutting said the district believes having trained mental health professionals on staff is a necessity for students' safety and well-being.
The district has already begun hiring for these positions and hopes to implement these mental health changes once full staffing is onboard.
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