The serious lack of mental health resources for students and families in Brighton Park continues to serve as one of the most pressing concerns of our neighborhood schools.  Many students suffer from trauma as a result of violence in the community and homes, resulting in behavior issues and an inability to succeed in school.  Schools are currently ill-equipped to meet the special needs of students who face mental illness issues.  BPNC is currently providing all four of our FSCS partnerships with full-time mental health service providers through a variety of public and private funding sources, including the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA)’s Safety Net Works grant.  This program represents a significant victory in our ability to fully meet the needs of community youth and families.  By integrating School-Based Mental Health services with our FSCSI, we are developing strategies to further transform participants into community leaders who effectively advocate for themselves and their community.

 

Goals:

• Provide at least one full-time counselor/case manager at each of our FSCS partner schools (Brighton Park Elementary, Burroughs Elementary, Shields Elementary, Shields Middle, Davis, Elementary, and Kelly High School)

• Provide direct counseling services to students annually through our school-based services

• Integrate mental health services into the disciplinary infrastructure at each school, especially:  behavioral modification, anti-bullying initiatives, and positive decision-making skill building groups

• Provide skill-building and professional development workshops to parents and teachers at our school partners focusing on: effective identification and referral of at-risk students, relationship-building, stress management, and positive communication skills