Monday, May 12, 2025
5/12/2025
Don't Wait-Communicate: Disaster Mental Health Preparation and Response in Rural Schools and Communities - The Counselor Education program at ECU will develop a project, Don't Wait-Communicate: Disaster Mental Health Preparation and Response in Rural Schools and Communities to address disaster mental health (DMH) preparation and response in rural schools and communities. The team will partner with 3 rural school districts to provide rural-specific DMH services to K-12 students and DMH preparation and response trainings to school personnel, behavioral health professionals, families, first responders, and community stakeholders across the southeastern US in areas impacted by natural disasters using evidence-based practices (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools; Psychological First Aid). Goal 1: Decrease ACEs linked to disasters by providing programming and comprehensive mental health services and crisis counseling within 3 school districts. Objective 1.1: By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, the team will provide mental health services (CBITS) to approximately 240 youth in select high-impacted schools. Objective 1.2: By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, the existing district Behavioral Health Professionals (i.e, school counselors) will provide mental health services (CBITS) to approximately 140 youth in less-impacted schools. Objective 1.3: By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, the provider organization, will provide crisis counseling, community-based mental health services and coordinated referral services to approximately 50 families across the 3 school districts. Objective 1.4: By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, the team and Behavioral Health Professionals will provide individual DMH services to approximately 480 youth (3% of total partner district enrollment). Goal 2: Increase the capacity of school personnel, first responders, community groups, and behavioral health professionals located in the southeastern United States to provide rural-specific disaster preparedness and response services and increase disaster mental health literacy. Objective 2.1: By the end of the 18-month project period, the team will deliver 8 trainings (20 attendees per training; approximately n = 160 total) for school personnel, first responders, community groups, and behavioral health professionals within the 3 school districts. Objective 2.2: By the end of the 18-month project period, the team will increase program reach and impact by delivering rural-specific, DMH preparedness and response workforce development trainings to school personnel across the Southeastern U.S. Objective 2.3: By the end of the 18-month project period, attendees of the local workforce development trainings will demonstrate increased literacy related to rural-specific, DMH preparedness and response and the recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health concerns linked to disasters. Goal 3: Increase the capacity of local school districts to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, increase mental health literacy, build community resilience, and promote adaptive coping in response to disasters. Objective 3.1: By the end of the 18-month project period, the team will provide 150 hours of consultation services to school personnel and community stakeholders who have experienced disasters.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).