It’s been 10 years since the Project REACH Mental Health Capacity Building Initiative was established in Prairie Land School Division.
The Mental Health Capacity Building (MHCB) in Schools Initiative works to promote positive mental health in children, youth, and families, and to support individuals in the community who interact with children and youth.
Project REACH is one of 35 programs and 18 Enhancement sites in 142 communities and 222 schools, with an outreach to 159 additional schools throughout Alberta.
The MHCB Initiative is funded by Alberta Health and led by Alberta Health Services (AHS) Provincial Addiction and Mental Health.
In 2014, Prairie Land Public School Division saw a need to expand Project REACH to all public schools and communities within the division.
Five years later, the initiative was selected as an MHCB expansion site, and received an additional grant to allow them to also support the Colonies of Hutterite Brethren within the school division.
Staff members have been working hard to build mental health capacity through: in-school and after-school programs, groups and activities; organizing and/or delivering classroom and community presentations; video-conferenced programs and activities; professional development for school staff and community agencies; and resource sharing and community-based events.
Project REACH is proud to have been a part of exciting initiatives like Easter Programs, Jr. High Transition events for Consort and Veteran, Youth Traffic Safety Conferences, Hanna Family Outdoor Movie Nights, Hanna Community Garden, and establishing a common mental health language in our schools.
Community partners and organizations worked with the project as well.
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