Moffat County School District acknowledges its unique opportunity and position to support students' improvement of learning and life outcomes.

CRAIG, CO, UNITED STATES, December 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Superintendent's Council on Mental Health is a new initiative under Dr. Mathew Neal's leadership that underlines Moffat County School District's established and increasing commitment to student mental health and well-being.

The Council, which initially arose organically out of meetings around this important subject of administrative leadership together with counselors and other leaders in this space within the district, is at its core focused on identifying where the district's responsibilities, opportunities, and potential solutions lie within the ever-critical need of our students for mental and behavioral health support. The Council's goals include increased and improved partnerships with existing community agencies that provide these services, as well as strengthening our internal tools and programs to provide this necessary support.

Primary members of the Council are district staff who work in this space, including select administrative leaders and school counselors. But the intention is to include and seek out wherever possible input and collaboration with entities outside of the district, including healthcare, law enforcement, and specialized behavioral health service providers.

Just this week, Dr. Neal met with Memorial Regional Health leadership and Craig Police Department representatives to discuss opioid abuse concerns and resources to address that growing threat to our students' health and well-being. The district also engaged an outside consultant to provide "QPR," or "Question-Persuade-Refer" training, the industry standard in first-step suicide prevention, to all district instructional staff. That training took place Friday. These efforts sprung out of Council discussions and outcomes.

Ultimately, the Council on Mental Health is most immediately engaging in listening and learning, especially in these first six months. But in any opportunity where future reactivity can be preempted by proactivity in this moment, the Council's goal is to act.

Moffat County students deserve to feel safe, to be healthy in all senses, to enjoy the benefit of relationships with trusted adults outside of the home, and to have every opportunity to thrive in spite of the challenges they might face in their lives or even in their own minds. Trauma, grief, mental illness, stress, and so many other stimuli can become debilitating to a child. The tragic rise of deaths by suicide in this community is the most dramatic, heartbreaking, and startling evidence of this very real and dire concern. Moffat County School District acknowledges its unique opportunity and position to provide support for students to improve both learning outcomes and life outcomes, and we take that responsibility seriously.

ABOUT MOFFAT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
MCSD is located primarily in Craig, Colorado, in the northwest corner of the state, and serves students and families throughout the county. The district's mission is to educate and inspire students to thrive in an environment of change. MCSD Belief Statements: All students can learn; the district can provide multiple paths for students to demonstrate success; collaboration among all stakeholders fosters innovation; students, staff, families, and the community all play vital roles in the success and growth of MCSD. For more information, click here: https://www.moffatsd.org/en-US.

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Cuyler Meade
Moffat County School District
+1 970-826-6270
email us here

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