Collaboration puts more mental health resources in schools
District, Kaiser Permanente form partnership to provide support
A new collaboration between the Douglas County School District and Kaiser Permanente will bring more mental health resources and support systems to Douglas County schools.
Kaiser, the state’s largest nonprofit health plan, will provide mental health training and $99,999 in community benefit support, according to a school district news release.
After the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting in May, Kaiser provided support and care to the schools, Superintendent Thomas Tucker said.
“Their care and dedication to the health and well-being of our students and staff is truly remarkable,” Tucker said in the news release.
Kaiser plans to expand its mental health resources in schools through various partnerships.
In addition to Douglas County schools, five other school districts in the state are part of Kaiser’s Thriving Schools Mental Health cohort, started in 2017. The school district and health plan are also providing mental health and wellness training to teach staff members how to work with traumatized students, the news release stated.
“Research shows that adverse childhood experiences impact students’ ability to learn and grow,” DCSD personalized learning officer Nancy Ingalls said in the news release. “It is important for school staff to learn about the various events that constitute an adverse childhood experience, and then learn how to use traumasensitive approaches in classrooms and across learning environments.”
That can strengthen the resilience culture in schools and increase learning readiness, Ingalls said.
Douglas County School District officials are also working with Kaiser on an advisory council to help develop a high school program called “Ghosted,” expected to launch in fall 2019, according to the news release. The interactive play aims to address mental health issues and will include a workshop on suicide prevention.
The district will also be able to access online mental health resources from Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the news release stated.