The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 was recognized as the Healthy Youth Leadership Award recipient at the Headway Emotional Health Services 2017 fall Community Conversation. The partnership between District 191 and Headway has had a long and successful partnership since 2011.
Many of the District 191 staff have worked and continue to work to create a school-based therapy model that has been shared and replicated in other districts. When partnering in 2011, Headway and 191 began to collaborate to create a new and innovative school-based therapy program.
“We have found School District 191 to be great partners in the pursuit to create a healthy student population, “says Headway CEO, Pat Dale.
In 2017, Headway staff provided 6,330 student therapy sessions which exceeds previous years over the
same time period of January to June. Headway currently has 16 therapists and two interns providing
services at 14 schools in the district.
The 14 schools include one high school, three middle schools, and ten elementary schools. So far this
school year, 293 students who are receiving Headway therapy services. This number grows each month
thanks to collaboration and referrals from school staff advocating for their students’ mental health
needs.
“We had a lot of hurting kids and saw an increase in mental health needs every year,” stated Dawn
Wilson, Director of Health Services for District 191. “It was a need we needed to fill and it has truly
benefited our students.”
Headway has also implemented toolbox training for teachers to obtain continuing education credits in
mental health-focused courses and has helped develop the FIRE Academy Program which focuses on
assisting new immigrant families to better navigate the educational system.
The Headway Youth Leadership Award recognizes an individual or organization who exhibits outstanding leadership in advancing the health of young people in our community, with a particular focus on outcomes that strengthen emotional and mental health.
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