HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. — Hamilton Southeastern Schools received a grant of $5.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education to increase access to mental health services for students.
The money will be used to recruit, hire and train school-based mental health professionals. Those will include school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers over the next five years.
“Currently, the ratio of school-based mental health professionals-to-students in Hamilton Southeastern is high, resulting in barriers for K-12 students,” according to Brooke Lawson, mental health and school counseling coordinator.
The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 1-to-250 school counselors-to-students.
“We know students can’t perform to the best of their ability when they are experiencing mental health challenges,” said Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Stokes.
HSE will begin seeking candidates in the coming weeks.