SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – This August, educators across Missouri will participate in a virtual training event designed to bolster mental health support within schools.
Lisa Dierking, the School-Based Mental Health Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, highlighted the importance of community and family partnerships in this initiative. “One of the foundational pieces we emphasize is the community-family partnership. You can’t do anything about us without us; families are key; they are huge components,” said Dierking.
The training is a collaborative effort involving the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. This two-day event will cover various topics to help educators better understand and implement mental health strategies in schools. Each participating district is required to send teams of at least three staff members, including nurses, teachers, and administrators, who are knowledgeable about mental health services and support systems.
Participants will work together to assess their current school mental health systems, set goals, and develop plans to enhance these systems. The training aims to broaden the understanding of school-based mental health, moving beyond the typical focus on therapy and behavior.
“When we say school-based mental health, we hope people understand that mental health is a continuum from mental illness to mental wellness. So, we want people to understand that as well,” Dierking explained.
A key component of the training is effective communication and resource identification. “We spend a lot of time talking about how to communicate and where to go for that information. Where are the resources to create documents that might be helpful in that communication,” Dierking noted.
Since DESE initiated the training program, 44 school districts have participated, with another 13 districts already signed up for the upcoming session in August. The program aims to foster collaboration among educators, focusing on common goals to support students’ mental health and overall school experience.
“The value of this training is bringing people together around collaboration and what we have in common to support kids around these common goals,” Dierking concluded.
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