What’s New?
Welcome to the first set of updates for our new project that examines the characteristics of school-based mental health services in western North Carolina! This spring, our team is focused on:
- Completing our interviews with local professionals in western North Carolina
- Engaging youth-serving organizations to design ways to gather youth perspectives in each county
- Contemplating the potential for small convenings to share our initial results and co-create recommendations with counties
The Project
Child Trends and the Dogwood Health Trust are partnering to examine the characteristics of school-based mental health services across 18 counties in rural western North Carolina. Our goals are to identify both what is working well and where additional support is needed.
As part of this work, Child Trends is interviewing local professionals, including:
- State education and mental health leaders
- School district leaders
- School counselors
- School-based and community-based mental health providers
- Out-of-school-time providers
- Youth-serving organizations
To avoid duplication, Child Trends has identified 60 organizations and 23 initiatives across the state related to school-based mental health services, and has completed in-depth interviews with 37 individuals working in school-based mental health. The map below shows the number of interviews conducted per county. In addition to interviews within counties, we have also talked to key leaders at the state level, including:
Number of interviews per county in western North Carolina
NOTE: We have also conducted interviews with four professionals who serve multiple counties in western North Carolina and the broader region.
Ultimately, this project will result in a public report and webinar, so stay tuned! We will share the report with North Carolina leaders and funders to inform a coordinated and strategic effort to support school-based mental health services in western North Carolina.
We are grateful to the Dogwood Health Trust for funding this study.
Current Child Trends Team Members
From Our Funder
Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities of 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and wellbeing. With a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity and health and wellness, Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.