Student mental health has suffered through the pandemic. Michigan districts are using federal COVID funds to implement new curriculums and programs focused on well-being, and are hiring social workers and counselors.
School leaders across Michigan have $6 billion to spend, the largest single influx of federal education dollars in state history. In some districts, new hires are already driving a big expansion of mental health services.
But other places are struggling to find trained workers to fill the open slots. Michigan parents overwhelmingly support increased mental health resources, according to a recent poll, and families are also looking for transparency about how their schools will spend this money.
As districts across the state work to better support their students’ mental health and hire more staff, we’d like to find out what’s working and what’s not. What supports have proven effective over time, and are schools investing in them? What do students and educators say they need?
Join Chalkbeat Detroit, the Detroit Free Press, and Bridge Michigan on March 16, 4-5 p.m. ET, for a panel discussion on these important questions. Please RSVP for this event so we’re able to provide the webinar information and can hear your ideas for questions. This event is free to attend, but any optional donations will go to support Chalkbeat’s nonprofit journalism and events like these.
This event is the first in a four-part national Chalkbeat series titled COVID and Mental Health, which seeks to amplify efforts to better support the wellness of students and school staff during this challenging comeback year.
Caroline Bauman connects Chalkbeat journalists with our readers as the community engagement manager and previously reported at Chalkbeat Tennessee. Connect with Caroline at cbauman@chalkbeat.org.
