Medford Area Public School District

Cares Model - Our Cares Model Series (counseling for All to Reach Emotional Success) Is a School and Community Collaboration Model Designed to Provide School Based Mental Health Counseling, Evidenced Based Trainings, Parent Education, Mental Health Literacy, and School and Family Engagement Activities to Address Social Emotional and Mental Health Issues for Children From Birth to Grade 12 in Taylor County. for the Past Three Years Our Original Cares Model Was an Active Partnership Among the Medford Area Public School District, Aspirus Hospital of Medford, and Counseling Connection Which Placed Community Mental Health Providers in Our School Buildings to Provide School Based Mental Health Counseling for Students. We Have Served Over 50 Students on an Annual Basis. Through Our Cares Model Series Expansion We Will Aim to Address Children, Families, and Adults Who Are Impacted by Social Emotional, Mental Health Illnesses or Disorders, and Serious Emotional Disturbances and Provide Those Who Serve Those Populations With Better Education and Training to Help Them. Through This Mental Health Training Grant We Will Expand and Sustain: (1) Mental Health Counseling for Birth to Three Families, More Students in 4K to Grade 12, Adult Care Providers/essential Workers, and Veterans; (2) Evidence Based Mental Health First Aid Curriculum Training(s) to Train Teachers, Law Enforcement, Fire Department, Health Care Workers, Human Service Agencies, Health Department, and Human Resource Representatives on How to Identity and Employ Crisis De-escalation Techniques; (3) Parent Education on Adverse Childhood Experiences During Hospital Well Child Checks; (4) Monthly Cares Training Series for Parents and Teachers/providers; (5) Educate, Advocate, and Support for Mental Health Through Community Awareness Campaign and Better Access to Resources; (6) Create Effective Linkages for Mental Health Referral Pathways to Counseling; and (7) Promote Positive Mental Health Literacy for Children Through Our School and Family Engagement (SAFE) Nights. It Is Expected That Our Cares Series on an Annual Basis Will Provide: 100 Students With School Based Mental Health Counseling Through Community and School Mental Health Providers, 75 Individuals With Mental Health First Aid Curriculum Trainings, 75 Parents and School Staff/community Providers Will Participate in Our Monthly Cares Training Series, and 50 Families Will Participate in Our Safe Nights.