Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
A Levittown-area school district and a countywide nonprofit are receiving state funds.
State representatives John Galloway and Perry Warren, both Democrats, recently announced that Pennsbury School District will receive $150,000 to provide tier-based mental health and behavioral support to its students, faculty, and families, and that Bucks County Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) will receive $254,613 to teach second graders about appropriate relationships.
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According to the lawmakers, the state awards, which are through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, are designed to enhance the mental health outcomes for both adults and children in Bucks County who have been exposed to violence.
“We all know that the pandemic took a toll on our students as the enforced isolation impacted many kids’ mental health negatively, with an increase in depression and other mental health issues reported,” Galloway said in a statement. “Thanks to this state grant funding, the Pennsbury School District will be able to advance their mental health services and outreach for students, helping them to develop resiliency and recover from the impact of COVID.”
“Congratulations to the recipients for their hard-earned awards,” Warren said. “This specialized work performed through NOVA and at Pennsbury School District reflects on the dedication that our community has for its children – and adults – affected by violence and crime. This is certainly funding that you wish you didn’t have to create, but it is the most critical work that it supports.”
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The Endowment Act funding for a brand-new pilot preventive research initiative was announced by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency in partnership with the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network at Penn State University.
A three-pronged trial preventive program that Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and Child Maltreatment Solutions Network launched over the past four years has helped over 16,000 second graders and 14,000 parents.
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Due to the initiative’s success and the requirement to adopt a more widespread parent education component, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and Child Maltreatment Solutions Network will carry out a two-year pilot project that will involve two programs that will be executed in various community segments.
Below are two of the projects:
- Safe Touches. This is a 50-minute puppet-based workshop that will be implemented among second grade students. The evidence-based curriculum teaches children about healthy boundaries, that it is okay to say “no,” and how to get help from safe adults.
- Smart Parents. This is an adaptation of the evidence-informed Smart Parents program that will be implemented among parents of children under 18. The program teaches parents about healthy sexual development, communicating with children about sexual boundaries, ensuring safety, and obtaining help and resources.
In the meantime, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announcing funding is available for strategies to support the mental health needs of kids and their families in order to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on pupils.
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Pennsylvania adolescents reported increased mental health issues like depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, as well as problems coping with distant learning and the resulting isolation, according to preliminary results from the 2021 Pennsylvania Youth Survey. T
he most that could be awarded was $150,000 to assist projects that may last up to two years.
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