| Name | Krissa |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Barclay |
| Home Address | 9320 Ancient Oaks Dr Ooltewah, TN 37363 United States |
| Organization Name | Hamilton County Schools Foundation |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | As the Executive Director and sole employee of the Hamilton County Schools Foundation, I am responsible for cultivating additional public and private funding and other community resources to support public education initiatives in Chattanooga/Hamilton County that go above and beyond the Hamilton County Schools budget. The Hamilton County Schools Foundation's mission is to support educational opportunities and excellence for ALL students through the effective mobilization of resources, relationships, and innovation. |
| Organization Address | 3074 Hickory Valley Rd Chattanooga, TN 37421 United States |
| Website | https://thehcsfoundation.org/ |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 423-498-6943 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 615-969-0469 |
| Email Address | barclay_krissa@hcde.org |
| Alternate Email Address | demaria_s@hcde.org |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | The goal of the proposed Expanded Access for Children’s Mental Health Initiative is to improve mental health and build resilience among school-age children who are experiencing challenges brought on or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This goal will be achieved by developing a school-based Youth Mental Health Residency Program in partnership with local universities and mental health providers to increase the number of school-based social workers serving children in the Greater Chattanooga region. There is a mental health crisis affecting our children and youth. Mental and behavioral health challenges among children and youth have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A declaration issued in October by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association describes “dramatic” increases in emergency hospital visits among youth, steadily increasing rates of mental health concerns in children over the past decade, and an alarming number of suicides and attempted suicides among children and youth. Following a recent Senate hearing on Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski stated that the most alarming data related to suicide statistics has shifted from the 25-45 year old population to children ages 10-12. Violence in schools has also increased dramatically over the past decades and is seen by many as a public health issue. The compound effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the onslaught of in-person and online bullying, systemic racism and racial injustice, and a nationwide lack of access to children’s mental health care providers has brought us to a breaking point. We must intervene and disrupt this crisis by investing in adequate mental health care services for our children and youth during this time when they are so urgently needed. Mental health is an essential component of children’s overall health and wellbeing. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), one in five children suffers from mental health problems, but half or fewer receive treatment. In the 2021 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, “Protecting Youth Mental Health,” Dr. Vivek Murthy emphasizes that educators play a key role in noticing behavioral changes that may signal mental health issues, and the expansion of the school-based mental health workforce is critical to intervening when children experience mental health challenges. School Social Workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student support team. They are trained mental health professionals who can assist with mental health concerns, behavioral concerns, positive behavioral support, academic, and classroom support, consultation with teachers, parents, and administrators as well as provide individual and group counseling/therapy. The proposed project will expand the number of School Social Workers through partnership with local universities. The Expanded Access for Children’s Mental Health Initiative addresses persistent gaps in mental health care for school-age children in our community, including: 1. Lack of Insurance/Cost Barriers. Many of our existing school-based mental health care providers, such as Centerstone, are only able to treat students with health insurance coverage for mental health services. An estimated 5% of youth in the state of Tennessee are uninsured, or approximately 2,500 Hamilton County Schools students. Many more lack adequate mental health services coverage through their insurance. Additionally, many children in Chattanooga/Hamilton County are undocumented and unable to receive TennCare or other health insurance coverage. These children may be English Language Learners and many have experienced significant levels of trauma. For lower income families, mental health services are often unaffordable. 2. Shortage of providers. The National Association of Social Workers recommends a 1:250 ratio of school social workers to students; however, in Tennessee, the ratio is 1:2,000. In Chattanooga/Hamilton County Schools, 28 School Social Workers serve approximately 45,000 children. Access to children’s mental health care providers in our community is limited, where even those with adequate insurance coverage may wait several weeks or longer to receive treatment. This lack of providers is detrimental to all students during this time, but especially harmful to those who are experiencing significant mental health challenges. 3. Fear of stigmatization/lack of awareness of available services on the part of parents/caregivers. For many children and families, mental health challenges and treatment are still stigmatized. Many families also struggle to determine where to access services or do not realize services are available to them. Providing school-based mental health support services can be a more accessible way to help students in these situations. The project will address these barriers by providing free mental health services through a familiar, trusted and easily accessible location such as the child’s school. All services will be confidential and provided in a secure, private location or via telehealth. Bilingual services will be made available to the extent possible. The Expanded Access for Children’s Mental Health Initiative brings together collaborative partners from Hamilton County Schools’ Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and School Social Worker Departments, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Social Work and Counseling Education programs, the Southern Adventist University School of Social Work, and local youth behavioral health providers to establish a school-based Youth Mental Health Residency program for individuals who are working toward completing 500 practicum hours towards attainment of their MSW degree. These individuals will provide mental health therapy services to youth under the supervision of a licensed social worker. The program is designed to provide dedicated, accessible, ethical, and high quality mental health therapy services in the schools at a lower cost while individuals are completing their supervision requirements. Participation in the program will be free of charge for students. The collaborative partners will use grant funding to engage 15-20 social workers (an average of 3-4 per Hamilton County Schools Learning Community). At least two of the social workers will be bilingual. Students who are identified as Tier III (higher acuity) during the Student Success Planning process but who do not have access to mental health services due to the barriers described above will be referred to the program. Services will be coordinated through UTC, Southern Adventist University, schools, and the Hamilton County Schools Social Emotional Learning and School Social Worker Departments. The initial consultation with the provider will take place within five days of referral, or as soon as possible, either at a private, secure location at the school (where possible), in a community-based private office location, or via telehealth. Providers will perform an evidence-based assessment to determine what level of services the child needs and he or she will either be provided services by one of the school-based providers, or if needed, referred to more intensive services with one of our community-based providers. Youth voice and choice will be taken into account to the extent possible when assigning a child to a provider’s caseload. Providers will carry a caseload of approximately 30 children/youth. The frequency and duration of services will vary depending on the situation. Students in need of a higher level of care or who need additional services beyond the scope of this project will be referred to community-based services and will be connected via warm hand off from the school-based provider. While the need for children’s mental health treatment in our community is ongoing, this short term project will provide an infusion of free, accessible mental health care during this time of high need to support students through the duration of the COVID-19 crisis and mitigate its negative impact on students’ mental health. Significant levels of Federal and State funding received by the school system has been primarily allocated to combating the tremendous learning loss resulting from the pandemic, and to ensuring the safe operation of school facilities during this public health emergency. Additional whole-child support including mental health care is needed to ensure all students are able to recover and thrive after the challenges of the past two years. Sources: https://www.apa.org/advocacy/health/children https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/ https://www.wkrn.com/washington/washington-dc/teen-shares-terrifying-mental-health-concerns-with-congress/ |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | The project is well-aligned with the stated priority to address educational disparities through providing mental health services to students. Under the Public Health and Economic Impacts eligibility criteria outlined in the Interim Rule, Behavioral Health Care to meet behavioral health needs exacerbated by the pandemic is identified as an eligible use of funds. Services may include mental health treatment, substance misuse treatment, other behavioral health services, crisis intervention, and other related services. Additionally, under Responding to Negative Economic Impacts, the Interim Final Rule states that the Treasury will presume certain types of services to be eligible when provided within a Qualified Census Tract, and that these services may also be provided to others who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. One such service is Addressing Educational Disparities by implementing evidence-based practices to address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students. The proposed project directly correlates to these eligible uses by targeting individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including students of color, lower income students, and students who are refugees or immigrants. |
| Where would your project take place? | Services would be provided in private offices in the schools or a community-based location, and/or via telehealth appointments. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 1250000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | Southern Adventist University has committed to providing $20,000 toward evaluation. The Hamilton County Schools Foundation will seek matching and continuation funding for this pilot/catalyst project from other sources including local and national foundations, the State of Tennessee, and/or Federal funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In-kind contributions to the project include office space at schools or community locations. |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | We are requesting funding to support the personnel expenses of the project. |
| If funded, when would your project start? | July 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | One year |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | The goal of this project is to improve mental health and build resilience among school-age children who are experiencing hardships or challenging life circumstances brought on or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be achieved through accomplishing the following objectives: 1. Prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year, HCS will engage 15-20 School Social Worker Interns through UTC and Southern Adventist University Social Work and Counseling Education programs. 2. During the 2022-23 school year, HCS School Social Workers will identify at least 1,350 students in need of mental health services through the existing Student Success Planning process or teacher/administrator referral and refer them to the program. 3. Within five days of referral, School Social Worker Interns will complete an evidence-based assessment identifying key areas of concern and begin to provide therapy services, or refer students to more intensive community-based services if needed. 4. At least 85% of students completing program services will report an increase in their sense of well-being and functioning from intake to discharge, as measured through pre- and post assessments, pre- and post student and family surveys, and evaluation of key data points from Hamilton County Schools including attendance, number disciplinary referrals, and academic achievement. The following performance metrics will be used to measure the program’s impact: - # of students referred to services vs # of students who receive services - # of days between referral to program and first contact with provider - Progress demonstrated in the “big 3” indicators - academic achievement, attendance, and number of disciplinary referrals - for participating students over the course of the year - Increase in self reported levels of wellbeing from pre and post assessments - Parent/student pre and post survey - Positive feedback on behavior observation form completed by teachers |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | Accountability and transparency throughout the project will be ensured through the following mechanisms: 1. Upon award, the Project Director will convene a planning committee with representatives from each partner organization to oversee the implementation of the grant. 2. The planning committee will outline roles and responsibilities for each partner and develop a clearly laid out management plan for accomplishing program goals and ensuring accountability through the duration of the project. 3. Ongoing grant team meetings will take place on a bi-monthly basis to review progress toward goals. These meetings will consist of a representative from all project partners as well as parents and school-based staff (administrators, teachers, nurses, school counselors and/or school social workers). Mental health providers will receive clinical supervision from licensed providers. They will also come together on a monthly basis for group supervision to share challenges and lessons learned, provide feedback on the program, and offer advice for improving service delivery. 4. The Project Director will periodically share the overall progress toward goals and program impact with the community to ensure transparency and will comply with all reporting requirements of the City of Chattanooga. Student confidentiality and HIPAA compliance will be strictly maintained throughout the project. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | The project will provide innumerable benefits to our children, youth, and families by helping them to learn healthy coping mechanisms, develop good mental health skills, and respond to potential or current crisis situations in a safe manner. The project will help to improve levels of student functioning and academic performance, increase attendance levels, and decrease behavioral incidents and school violence. It will make our schools safer for all and encourage resilience and recovery from this dark and challenging time in our children’s lives. School social workers can link students and their families to community resources for ongoing support. They are well-informed regarding relevant resources in the community and online and can aid in connecting students and families to the appropriate resources during times of crisis. They are extensively trained to manage and deal with crisis and are equipped to assist school administrators and teachers. School social workers are experienced in delivering difficult and sensitive information and can assist in developing messages that are age-appropriate and culturally sensitive. In addition, they can lead the development of strategic plans that prepare other school personnel to respond adequately during times of chaos and crisis. We cannot afford to ignore the mental health crisis facing our children. The impact of this period will have long-term devastating effects on our most vulnerable youth if we do not act now to ensure every child receives the mental health support they need to thrive. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | We have received support for the project from multiple key community stakeholders including the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Social Work and Counseling Education Programs, Southern Adventist University School of Social Work, Agape Youth Behavioral Health, the Hamilton County Schools Social Emotional Learning and School Social Worker Departments, La Paz, and the Family Justice Center. The Hamilton County Schools Foundation and other community partners will continue to recruit additional partners to support this critical need in our community. |
| Name | Kristie Wilder, Southern Adventist University |
| Contact Information | kwilder@southern.edu |
| Name | Elizabeth O’Brien, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |
| Contact Information | elizabeth-obrien@utc.edu |
| Name | Dr. Ken Pittman, Agape Youth Behavioral Health |
| Contact Information | drpittman@youthbehavior.com |
| Name | Karitsa Mosley-Jones, City of Chattanooga and District 5 Member of Hamilton County Board of Education |
| Contact Information | jones_karitsa@hcde.org |
| Name | Karen Glenn, Hamilton County Schools Department of School Social Workers |
| Contact Information | glenn_k@hcde.org |
| Name | Patricia Russell, Hamilton County Schools Department of Social Emotional Learning and K-12 School Counseling |
| Contact Information | russell_patricia@hcde.org |
| Name | Stacy Johnson, La Paz Chattanooga |
| Contact Information | sjohnson@lapazchattanooga.org |
| Name | Regina McDevitt, Family Justice Center |
| Contact Information | rrmcdevitt@chattanooga.gov |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | |