State grants Miami U $5M
Ohio's education department partnered with the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to award a $5 million grant to Miami University, according to a news release last week. The university is working to address the state's mental health crisis in children.
Miami will use the funds to transform its Center for School-based Mental Health Programs into a new Schoolbased Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention, the university's news release states. It is the first of its kind in Ohio.
“Catching and treating mental health problems and addiction at their earliest onset can lessen the chances of life-long challenges, and the collaborative, bestpractice prevention work that Miami University is leading will benefit children, families, and schools in communities across our state,” Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services director Lori Criss said in the news release.
The center will serve teachers and administrators across the state by offering training on prevention and intervention practices to be used in classrooms and schools. The partnership and new Miami center demonstrate “that good mental health is just essential to physical wellbeing and academic success,” Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine said in the news release.
The center “will act as a hub,” the release states, hosting school-based mental health initiatives and statewide projects.
Cricket Meehan, director of the new center at Miami, said mental health issues had skyrocketed even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Social isolation, anxiety, and depression are impacting classrooms and schools at a much higher level than ever before,” Meehan said in the news release. “All of us play a role in mitigating those concerns, and that's a big part of the School-based Center of Excellence. We will help to identify what each and every person's role is, ensure that they have the supports and the tools they need, and that collaborative partnerships are working together harmoniously.”
This $5 million grant follows a $6 million grant the university's mental health initiative received in January 2021. The earlier award was granted by the Governor's Emergency Education Relief fund and helped mental health leaders involved with the project determine that Ohio needs a Center of Excellence for School-based Prevention and Early Intervention.
One of the projects that started at Miami
and will continue to be housed in the new center is the Ohio School Wellness Initiative, which recently completed a 21-month plan to establish best practice standards for student assistance programs and staff wellness frameworks. This model has already been piloted in over 70 Ohio K-12 schools, according to the university. Other projects include:
● Supporting a workforce development program, including training and support for aspiring and existing professionals, to address the shortage of K-12 mental health providers.
● Facilitating key collaborative partnerships among educational institutions, professional organizations and businesses that have a vested interest in the well-being of families, children, students and schools.
● Identifying additional areas that need further positive behavioral interventions and support including new anti-bullying lessons and campaigns.
● Establishing more services for students who may need extra support, as well as for those with previously diagnosed mental health or substance use issues who may need intensive individualized services.
● Conducting ongoing research and evaluation to identify the supports students receive, the range of services offered and the effectiveness of related outcomes.