Do Kalamazoo Schools Need Mental Health Care Services?

After shooting threats were posted on social media, the recent wave of school closures today which include Loy Norrix High School, Kalamazoo Central, Hillside Middle School and Linden Grove Middle School, need to be discussed. It seems that there is a big social issue happening in schools these days. I personally understand how confusing Middle and High School can be as a kid. The pressures, the changes they're going through is something that can be overwhelming and lead to making massive mistakes like those who made online threats.

It was just announced that the Detroit Public Schools Community District, in partnership with Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) and the University of Michigan’s TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students), is expanding behavioral and mental health services for students and families through funding totaling $5 million. DWIHN awarded the District a two-year, $2 million grant and TRAILS is providing $3 million in support services through its program to cover school-based behavioral health services and resources. The schools involved in the DWIHN School Success Initiative pilot program are: Cody, East English Village Preparatory, and Pershing High Schools; Dixon, Mason and Ronald Brown Elementary Schools. The District identified these schools to provide greater resources for students who are experiencing more challenges to learning than other schools and feeder patterns.

The initiative will focus on providing these schools with strong service teams that will include a social worker, a nurse, a counselor, and other behavioral and mental health professionals. I personally feel it's time as adults, we set these kids up with the tools to be able to properly comprehend with the changes they're going through. The Kalamazoo Promise is a great thing, but I would love to see a grant put in place to give kids the proper social skills and support they need to make it through this tough time. What are your thoughts?