The Conejo Valley Unified School District recognizes May as National Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of those living with mental health issues, and to provide the resources to assist them in getting the help they need.
At the Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Board of Education meeting, Resolution #23/24-30: In Support of Mental Health Awareness Month was approved.
Created in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by individuals with mental health conditions.
The CVUSD recognizes the importance of building school based mental health programs in order to increase access to services and resources for students. Last year CVUSD was awarded an $11.3 million grant to enhance the school-based mental health services it provides to students across all of its campuses.
Thanks to this large grant, which will support the CVUSD’s mental health services for five years (January 2023 through December 2027), the District will continue to stand out in excellence for the provision of mental health support services to its more than 16,000 students.
Primary objectives of the grant include:
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Recruitment of school-based licensed mental health providers and interns / hiring of diverse clinical team with the addition of 15 new positions:
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Project Director (1)
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Senior Mental Health Clinician (1)
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Mental Health Clinician 2 (2)
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Mental Health Clinician 1 (10)
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Administrative Assistant (1)
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Continue to create safe environments for students to access services
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CVUSD currently has ten Wellness Centers, which exist in three comprehensive high schools, one alternative high school, in one alternative education program and five middle schools. This funding will support these Wellness Centers for the next five years.
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Available Services: On the high school campuses wellness services include drop-in services, individual and small group counseling, workshops, classroom presentations and school-wide activities make up the services provided to students. Middle school wellness centers provide more targeted interventions that include individual and small group counseling for referred students.
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Professional development and staff training
Proposed outcomes of the grant through 2027 include improved awareness of mental health and changes in perceptions of mental health, school culture shifts/acceptance, partnerships/new student clubs and established interventions to meet student need.
This May, Conejo Valley Unified School District encourages students, staff members, and parents to increase both their awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our students, staff, and families can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental illnesses.
For additional information about the Mental Health and Wellness Services that CVUSD provides, please visit: https://www.conejousd.org/Page/2047.
