AEF understands the relationship between behavioral health and school success, and has committed to investing $200,000 between 2017 and 2020 to support the district’s Safe and Supportive Schools initiative.
This district-wide grant will train over 300 Arlington Public Schools staff on Youth Mental Health First Aid, a program designed to teach anyone interfacing with youth how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or who is in crisis.
The Safe and Supportive Schools partnership between AEF and the district began with a $10,000 Development & Expansion grant in 2016. This planning grant created a cohesive vision for behavioral health in the Arlington Public Schools. A working group assesses existing programs to identify areas of greatest need and develop a recommended action plan for district-wide services to increase support for behavioral health prevention and treatment for all students. Read more