Whitelaw Reid Educational Campus, located in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, is participating in the first phase of a new mental health program by the New York State Education Department and the State Office of Mental Health.
The school is the recipient of a share of a $1.8 million grant to increase mental health support in schools, the agencies announced today, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs Oct. 7-13.
The grant, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is a 2018 Project Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education award and is intended to expand the capacity of states to detect and respond to mental health issues in school-aged youth.
Phase One will award the school more than $300,000 to work with the Department and OMH to implement evidence-based trainings for school staff. Child Study Teams, typically consisting of the school social work staff, school psychologist, special education chair and administrators, will receive targeted training on systems of care and will be oriented to the pathways to care for youth in need of services.
Whitelaw Reid was selected for the program based on a data analysis of need and consent to participate.