AWARE

Bledsoe County Schools: Project AWARE

The Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded Project AWARE to the State of Tennessee. Bledsoe County Schools was awarded the grant funds in 2021 to increase the Advancing of Wellness and Resiliency in Education (AWARE). The goal of this project is to develop a program that has sustainability for a school-based mental health program and services in Bledsoe County Schools.

Bledsoe County Schools, with this program, is expected to build a collaborative partnership with the State Education Agency (SEA), State Mental Health Agency (SMHA), community-based providers of behavioral and mental health services, school personnel, community organizations, families, and school-aged youth. This is so the school system can provide access and connect students to appropriate and effective behavioral health services. Additionally, the school system is tasked with providing awareness, prevention, intervention, and resilience activities to ensure the reduction of mental health help seeking stigma and to promote a healthy social and emotional development of school-aged youth and prevent youth violence in school settings.

TIER 1: Bledsoe County Schools has implemented the above with several new programs most community members may not be fully aware of. Within this program we established a MTSS- tier-based system for mental health supports inside Bledsoe County Schools. Tier 1, consists of character education classroom lessons, school-wide climate enrichment activities and positive behavior intervention rewards.

Trauma Informed Education: Our schools are becoming trauma informed. Our administrators and teaching staff are being provided with on-going research- based training from the state of Tennessee work-based training including, building strong brains, six pillars and restorative practices training modules.

TIER 2: In Tier 2, services are for children that need additional support. This program enabled the Bledsoe County school system to employee for the first -time school social workers and mental health student support specialists as well as one additional elementary school counselor. All five schools now have a licensed school counselor, social worker, or mental health student support specialist assigned to each building. Tier 2 support includes, small group topics, anti-vaping classes (INDEPTH) restorative practice in partnership with the juvenile courts and the Tennessee Department of Health.

TIER 3: Bledsoe County Schools have partnered with multiple outside mental health service providers. We currently have three active memorandums of understanding agreements with mental health providers. The purpose of these MOUs is to offer a comprehensive mental health program within the school system. Bledsoe county is a distressed county so creating school-based services helps support our students and families social, emotional and economic needs.

AWARE Bledsoe Program:

Purpose: (1) To promote school and community based efforts to build mental health AWAREness; and reduce the stigma of mental health assistance (2) Provide and increase youth access to evidence-based wellness and mental health resources; (3) Promote resilience and positive behavior functioning for school-aged youth in Bledsoe County.

Mission: To respond proactively to youth mental health concerns in order to improve outcomes linked to student achievement, attendance, and behavior.

Vision: To advance wellness and resilience education programs, increase and sustain access to mental health services and supports for Bledsoe County students and their families.

Funding: A grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides funding for the AWARE program.

AWARE Support:

Bledsoe County school counselors have been trained to assist our students and their families with concerns related to mental health. In addition, the school district in conjunction with the AWARE Project have placed three Student Support Specialists (S3) in schools to provide support services for students and their families. The Student Support Specialists cover multiple campuses and work closely with the guidance departments.

Your child's privacy:

All services made available through the AWARE program and referral provider services are private and confidential. Bledsoe County Schools and contracted service providers will honor your child's privacy guaranteed under FERPA (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

The AWARE referral pathway is a tool designed to help students and families access student supports and mental health counseling services in their schools and communities. If you are a student who is in need of a mental health referral or know of a student who is struggling with mental health concerns; please access the request for student services by clicking on the link or scanning the QR code for your school posted below.

If you are a student in crisis (or worried about a student in crisis) in need of immediate assistance, you can text the Crisis text line at: 741-741, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at: 988, or call the Statewide Crisis Phone Line at: 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471)

What additional professional counseling services are available?

The Bledsoe County School System has partnered with Centerstone and Health Connect of America to provide school-based mental health counseling and risk assessment. These providers handle all payer source issues and questions from parents or guardians regarding billing for mental health care provided by their professional counselors.

Where do the professional counseling services take place?

Professional counseling sessions are scheduled with parent permission and conducted in a private setting at school.

The services are made available at school to protect the students' instructional time and assist parent in the appointment process.

Contact Name	Department	Job Title

Contact Name	Department	Job Title

Bledsoe AWARE Program

Guidance Counselor

Student Support Specialists

Mental Health America's 2021 Toolkit