The U.S. Department of Education awarded nearly $10 million to the University of Missouri for a National Center for Rural School Mental Health. (File)
COLUMBIA — Students in rural Missouri schools Thursday got more support with their mental health needs. The U.S. Department of Education awarded nearly $10 million to the University of Missouri for a National Center for Rural School Mental Health.
The new center will have an online data and training system to support the mental health needs of students in rural schools throughout Missouri, Virginia and Montana. Over the next five years, researchers will give rural educators and administrators access to scientific research that can help improve student outcomes.
“Here in Missouri, 21 percent of our student population lives in rural communities,” MU Professor Wendy Reinke said. “Rural communities are often neglected. This center is really focusing on those rural communities and mental health supports for youth.”
Center staff will focus on preventing behavioral and mental health problems in rural settings.
Within five years, the Center’s research team planned to work with at least 110 rural schools in Missouri, Virginia and Montana.
The center will not be an actual building, but rather researchers and staff will work out of their current offices.
February 28, 2019
By Mark Slavit
13KRCG
https://krcgtv.com/news/local/professor-mental-health-center-will-help-often-neglected-rural-communities
