May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Here are just a few ways Grant Wood AEA is addressing mental health in our area.
Strike Out the Stigma
Several Grant Wood AEA staff members participated in this year's Strike Out the Stigma event at Prospect Meadows. This event allowed Grant Wood AEA and other organizations to spread awareness about the vital mental health resources in our area.
Grant Wood AEA CISM
During the 2023-24 school year, Grant Wood AEA's Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team has:
- Provided support 17 times to area school districts and our own agency.
- 73 team members have made themselves available to assist with responses.
A Systemic Approach to Suicide Prevention
A team of professionals from Grant Wood AEA created a new course, A Systematic Approach to Suicide Prevention, for LEA school teams. This free training, developed through 1.5 years of research and preparation, equips school counselors, administrators, nurses, directors, and other professionals with the knowledge and skills to:
- Build robust district suicide prevention teams: Ensuring diverse representation and decision-making power for effective planning and action.
- Utilize data for informed decisions: Understanding key data sources and leveraging them to guide suicide prevention efforts.
- Implement best practices: Mastering intervention, postvention, and community and school resource utilization to support students and families.
- Develop comprehensive prevention plans: Leaving participants empowered to initiate or refine their district's approach.
11 Districts have brought 75 team members to attend this course in February. This course is being offered again to LEA teams on May 16 (GWAEA staff only) and June 14 for all professionals.
There's still time to register: May 16 (GWAEA staff only) or June 14 (All professionals)
CISM Team's recommended resources:
- Sesame Street - Helping children understand death and cope with grief.
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - You can save the number '988' into your phone and your children's phones. This is a number that can help you if you are struggling or help someone you are with if they are struggling.
- Also check out the new Media Library resources related to mental health!