Five teens walking to school with backpacks.

Wellness Center Grant Awarded to Three SLO County High Schools

Author: Behavioral Health
Date: 12/19/2023 2:10:43 PM

The San Luis Obispo County Friday Night Live Partnership has awarded three local high schools a one-year, $30,000 grant each, to implement and expand school-based wellness centers which will incorporate Social Emotional Learning best practices as well as a youth development framework, providing opportunities for young people to create environments where they feel safe and connected.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA. – The San Luis Obispo County Friday Night Live Partnership (SLOFNLP) has awarded three local high schools (Paso Robles, Nipomo, and San Luis Obispo) a one-year, $30,000 grant each, to implement and expand school-based wellness centers. The wellness centers will incorporate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) best practices as well as a youth development framework, which provides opportunities for young people to create environments where students feel safe and connected.

According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), 35% of high school students in San Luis Obispo County have reported experiencing social emotional distress. Additionally, 40% of students reported experiencing chronic sadness and/or hopelessness, up 4% from the 2020 survey.

“Through our prevention work with school-based chapters, we have seen first-hand the need for additional mental health and wellness services at school sites throughout the county,” said Megan Frauenheim, SLOFNLP County Coordinator. “Through these grants, we are excited to see how each wellness center will expand services to their students and are looking forward to deepening the partnership Friday Night Live has at our local schools to further increase student resiliency.”

Each awarded grant site will have a dedicated wellness space and implement services such as counseling, drop-in student hours, and ongoing mental health education starting in January 2024. In keeping with SLOFNLP’s youth development framework, students at each site will have an active role in designing and implementing the services provided by the wellness center to increase student leadership and agency.

Funding for this grant came from the California Friday Night Live Partnership to support the implementation of SEL strategies into Friday Night Live County programs.

 

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