SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM (S.S.P.)

Parents expect when they send their children to school, that their children will return home safely after school. The sad reality is that with the rise in school violence, many parents no longer have a sense of safety in the schools. The burden on school personnel has shifted from the already laborious task of education to a much more daunting task of not only teaching students, but having to inadvertently provide mental health services. Unfortunately, despite mental health issues in schools becoming an increasingly problematic issue this shift has not been accompanied by a significant increase in education and training for teachers. Recently escalating high risk issues with violence, bullying, substance abuse, and other challenges surrounding the emotional well-being of students can leave school personnel struggling to provide safe and supportive environments for students while still meeting their educational needs.

The ever increasing demands paired with limited training and resources has left educators feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and demoralized. Educators often say they feel ill-equipped to meet all of the educational, developmental, and emotional needs of students. This short fall takes a heavy toll on their own emotional and mental wellbeing as well. Fortunately, the Mental Health Center of Florida has trained, caring, and dedicated expert professionals with a wide variety of expertise who are highly skilled in helping educators and school staff recognize warning signs early to identify students who may otherwise fail to be effectively assessed and treated appropriately. We have a training program designed specifically to help educators learns ways to Detect, Refer, and Prevent further tragedies and connect at-risk youth with valuable mental health services.