Five Central Indiana school districts have been awarded nearly $600,000 to improve mental wellness among their students, thanks to a grant made available through Butler University as part of the Comprehensive School Mental Health Initiative. School districts selected to receive funding are Herron Preparatory Academy, Indianapolis Public Schools, Kokomo School Corporation, Lebanon Community School Corporation, and North Lawrence Community Schools. Funding for the Comprehensive School Mental Health Initiative through Butler University has been provided in part by Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction.
The Comprehensive School Mental Health Framework provides a continuum of social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports and services to support students, families, educators, and all stakeholders within the school community. The grant initiative supports Indiana schools in developing a comprehensive approach to addressing well-being needs within the school community.
The number of students struggling with wellness issues—particularly mental health issues—has been steadily increasing for several years, and numbers have increased even more significantly post-pandemic. The crisis exists nationally but has hit Indiana teens particularly hard. Consider:
- Three out of 10 Hoosier high school students reported their mental health was not good most of the time or always
- Indiana held the 10th highest rate of number of children under 18 at risk for depression (35.4 per 100,000) nationwide in 2023, and ranks 15th for youth under 18 at risk for suicidal ideation at 18.4 per 100,000
- 35.7 percent of students in 7th-12th grade reported in the past year they felt so sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row they stopped doing usual activities
- 25.2 percent of Indiana’s high school students seriously considered suicide, with 23.6 percent of them making a plan and 15.7 percent of students attempting suicide
- Of the children who needed or received mental health care, 27.6 percent of parents found it “very difficult” or “not possible to obtain care” for their child in Indiana
“There is significant need for wellness resources in Indiana schools,” Brandie Oliver, Professor in Butler University’s College of Education, said. “Research indicates that students are more likely to seek counseling when resources are available at school, and students who receive social, emotional, and mental health support achieve more academically. I’m so grateful to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration for working with Butler University to award this funding to five very deserving school districts.”
Each of the five school districts that received funding submitted proposals for consideration to Butler University, which administered the grant process.
Herron Preparatory Academy: $140,045
Grant funds will be used to develop new community partnerships and provide an additional school counselor focused on middle school social-emotional and mental health needs. Addressing non-academic factors such as self-confidence, emotional self-regulation, and mental health is key to helping students integrate into our academic and social community. This project aims to develop a comprehensive mental health framework for the middle school.
Indianapolis Public Schools: $100,000
IPS Middle Schools: Broad Ripple, Howe, Northwest, Longfellow, William Penn, Arlington & Harshman
Funding will support effective implementation of the ASCA (American School Counseling Association) and MTMDSS (Multi-Tier Multi Domain Systems of Support) School Counseling Model targeting Tier 1 alignment within each building’s pedagogy. This project is a data-driven response to the social and emotional needs of students and will assist IPS efforts to redesign the approach of school counseling.
Kokomo School Corporation: $100,000
Kokomo School District’s project focuses on middle school students developing their mental health and social-emotional wellbeing. The goal is to support the mental health needs of the students by enhancing their coping skills, abilities to manage stress, and build positive relationships. Additionally, the project will provide funding to educate staff and guide them with best practices to work with the middle school population. Finally, the project includes focusing on community and parent involvement to build a home-to-school positive connection.
Lebanon Community School Corporation: $124,400
Lebanon Community School Corporation (LCSC) will enhance the environment in their school buildings so “everyone, every day will reach a new best” (adapted from Mission Statement). By prioritizing well-being, LCSC believes staff and students are more likely to engage, focus, create impactful relationships, and retain learning, which will ultimately lead to improved academic performance and achievement in all areas of development.
North Lawrence Community Schools: $135,240
Since 2018, North Lawrence Community Schools (NLCS) currently supplies its elementary schools with social emotional counselors (SECs). NLCS has also embraced the evidence-based “Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®)” with nearly 100% of certified and non-certified staff currently trained. NLCS intends to keep the momentum moving forward by further addressing the complex mental health needs of students post consolidation and pandemic. Ultimately, NLCS hopes to recruit and retain highly qualified staff by investing in their overall health and well-being. Key activities include providing additional mental health services for NLCS students by strengthening existing partnerships with Centerstone and IU Health SIP Riley Physicians. Additionally, funds will be used to provide a Family Support Specialist (FSS) full-time at one of the district’s highest needs elementary schools.
More than 50 educators from the five school districts will meet at Butler University on December 9, 2024, for the Comprehensive School Mental Health Project Symposium. Participants will hear from Dr. Brian Dinkins, CEO & Founder of the Center for Empowering Education, who will deliver the keynote address. There will also be a panel discussion and breakout sessions that address wellness topics.