Educational Service District 101 receives $1.5M Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Expanding youth mental health support throughout northeast Washington - northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 (newesd 101) will implement expanding youth mental health support throughout northeast wa across 6 districts, expanding school-based mental health services, suicide prevention, and behavioral health supports for approximately 24,326 k–12 students in rural northeast Washington. Direct services will primarily target youth ages 11–18 identified through screening, referrals, behavioral health concerns, or suicide risk indicators. Newesd 101 will deploy 13 licensed behavioral health clinicians to provide screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (sbirt), risk assessments, brief interventions, referral coordination, and recovery supports. Participating secondary schools will implement check yourself screening and hope squad peer-to-peer suicide prevention, while at least 1,000 school staff, family members, and youth-serving adults will be trained in youth mental health first aid. The project will provide direct sbirt services to approximately 1,170 students annually; ensure 100% of students identified as high risk receive same-day assessment and referral follow-up; provide annual screening opportunities to at least 90% of eligible students; and increase access to school-based mental health intervention services by 25% by year 5. District needs assessments, action plans, and sustainability efforts will strengthen behavioral health systems across participating districts.