A generous and unexpected grant to Westerville City Schools from the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH) has allowed the district to nearly double the amount of mental health workers serving students with severe behavioral and emotional issues. Thanks to $300,000 from ADAMH, Westerville Schools, working in partnership with Concord Counseling Services, was able to hire two full-time and one part-time mental health worker, beginning in August 2013. Previously, the schools employed the services of one full time and one half-time mental health professional. The additional help enabled Westerville Schools to expand services and bring six students back to the district. “While the numbers sound modest, the grant has had a big impact for families who had to travel outside the community for services, away from siblings and peers,” said Barbara Wallace, Westerville City Schools Executive Director of Pupil Services. “When we send families out, we know they get disenfranchised. Keeping students in house allows us to control the quality of programming they receive and the rigor of academics.”
Westerville Schools has identified a need for increased prevention services. Programming will include scheduled group activities that will assist students in developing life skills that increase their abilities to engage with other students, teachers and their families. Other services to be provided will include support for youth and families and assistance to families with accessing community resources. Concord Counseling will provide this support across six schools within the district. “Addressing barriers to learning is a critical step in the educational process,” said Westerville City School District Superintendent John R. Kellogg, Ed.D. “I can’t begin to express how pleased we are to be able to expand the services available to our students, and we thank ADAMH for providing the additional resources to do so.”