A $500,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health will help Indian Prairie District 204 high school students obtain mental health counseling.
The funding comes just months after the district received a $500,000 Edwards Elmhurst Health grant to offer mental health assistance to student in lower grades.
Tara Bell, an instructional specialist for the district, told the school board Monday that officials are pleased the program is being supported financially, allowing it to expand more quickly.
“It will provide additional services for mental health (purposes) in our schools,” she said.
The state grant will fund the Wildcat Wellness program, which will be offered at Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley high schools. Students attending Waubonsie Valley High School will have access to counseling at the middle schools, officials said.
Counselors began seeing students in late November at Fischer and Granger middle schools and Georgetown and Longwood elementary school, which are the buildings with the highest number of low-income students.
They have worked with 120 students so far and there are 357 appointments scheduled with nine counselors and other mental health professionals. Bell said the response has been strong due to the district advertising the program’s availability and word of mouth.
Feedback has been positive too, she said. One student told officials she was happy she didn’t have to wait weeks for a visit with someone else, Bell said.
A survey also indicated that students want the district to continue to offer the services in the future, she said.
Board member Justin Karubas said it would be nice if Linden Oaks Behavioral Health could have a program in every school since many students are struggling with issues like anxiety and depression.
“It’s nice to have health services right where the students are,” Karubas said.
Joseph Ruzich is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.