Clayton County Public Schools awarded $8 million grant for new mental health initiative

WSBTV.com News Staff
·1 min read

Clayton County Public Schools announced plans to expand access to school-based mental health services in the district with the help of an $8 million grant.

CCPS officials said the $8 million grant is a five-year grant from the United States Department of Education that will fund the Advancing Innovative Partnerships and Pathways to Address Mental Health Workforce Shortages in Georgia Schools initiative.

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The initiative, developed by the Georgia Health Policy Center’s Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavior Health at Georgia State University, focuses on placing graduate-level students from three metro Atlanta universities in schools to assist in mental health services.

CCPS said the program would begin in six district schools identified as high-need areas where graduate students will be trained to help CCPS students.

“We are excited about entering this partnership and the potential positive benefit it will bring to our students and their families,” said Dr. Anthony W. Smith, CCPS Interim Superintendent. “This initiative is an excellent example of our commitment to Building A Better Tomorrow, Today for all district stakeholders.”

Officials said the goal of this program is to grow the child behavioral health workforce in Georgia.

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According to district leaders, it is estimated that 200 CCPS students will receive mental health services through the program in 2023. That number is expected to increase as graduate students in schools grow.