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By Phyllis Hanlon
The Worcester public school system recently received a federal
grant of $7.7 million for three years under the Safe Schools/Healthy
Students (SSHS) Initiative, which aims to reduce school violence,
promote safety and foster healthy physical, social and educational
development for children.
Four years ago, in response to dramatic increases in aggressive
incidents in and around schools, Congress appropriated $40 million
for the creation of violence prevention programs. Since then, the
Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), one of three centers under
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
umbrella, has authorized the design and implementation of programs
through grants awarded to urban, rural, suburban and tribal school
districts throughout the country.
According to Frances Arena, M.Ed., Worcester's acting project director,
the funding will enable the formation of an office from which subcommittees
will assess community needs. Through a "process of planning," these
committees will identify appropriate services to address their findings.
"The purpose of the grant is to create a synchronized infrastructure
of services within the public school system," she says. Through
the collaborative efforts of juvenile justice, law enforcement,
higher education, mental health agencies and other community-based
organizations, suitable activities will be designed and implemented,
she explains.
Before specific programs can be planned, however, updated information
on community needs must be obtained. When the original grant application
was written one and a half years ago, a significant amount of data
was amassed. Arena says, "We need to determine if all that data
is still applicable." In addition to following community-driven
criteria, Arena says that the government issues strict guidelines
to which the city must adhere in order to qualify for funding.
Looking ahead, she emphasizes that one of the critical outcomes
of the three-year award is sustainability. "When the grant money
is gone, we want to continue the work that we start," Arena says.
According to Arena, the grant is comprised of six elements, the
first of which is to create a safe school environment. "We are looking
at the possibility of developing an advisor/advisee program in which
we'll make the child feel comfortable," she says. "We'll provide
a personal success plan for each child." By focusing on the "positives"
in a child's life, she believes the program can build a healthy
basis for a bright future.
In addition to creating a positive school environment, the grant
is designed to address the issues of alcohol, drugs and violence;
mental health; the psychosocial, emotional and developmental aspects
of early childhood; educational reform and safe school policies.
The last element identifies specific guidelines for security measures
that will be established within the schools to help staff and students
feel safe in the academic setting. The programs and services are
intended to impact all grade levels from kindergarten through grade
12, says Arena. "We are addressing the needs of the students and
will help them overcome any obstacles they face as they become contributing
members of the community," she says.
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