The State Education Resource Center (SERC), in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), has created a School-Based Center for Prevention, Education and Advocacy (K-12) to serve the state of Connecticut. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory Report (2021), schools can directly impact youth mental health by providing "a continuum of supports to meet student mental health needs including evidence-based practices and trauma-informed mental health care.”
The purpose of this statewide survey is to gather and share information regarding the prevention programs that Connecticut school districts are implementing around mental health, suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and social-emotional learning. Results will inform resource sharing, future outreach, and collaboration with districts for the Center as well as the Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs) and other DMHAS Resource Links members.
The dissemination of results will provide opportunities for districts to share knowledge and showcase best practices and lessons learned. The results will be made publicly available in aggregate form through the Center for use by school districts and community partners (click here to see current data).