Educational Service District 112 has received a $132,073 one-time grant to pilot a multi-tiered system of support for young learners, according to a press release.
ESD 112 will partner with Children’s Home Society to bolster its services for children experiencing trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES).
Clark County Mental Health awarded the grant, which is designed to help implement a multi-tiered system of support for children dealing with trauma, or other challenges that can lead to behavior issues, according to the press release.
“We’ve been providing early learning services for over 30 years,” said Jodi Wall, ESD 112 executive director of Early Care and Education. “But over the past five to 10 years, we have become increasingly concerned about the mental health and behavioral needs of very young children due to trauma and ACES.”
The multi-tiered system of support model emphasizes proactive early intervention. Wall hopes that will cause the number of child behavior plans to decrease and staff retention to increase.
“Staff in our centers have been significantly challenged by behavior issues,” she said. “This grant will help us provide adequate training and supports to better respond to children who need behavior interventions.”
Money from the grant will also help families access parent education opportunities, as well as staff training and coaching from a seasoned behavioral specialist, according to the press release. The multi-tiered system of support will be piloted at two of the educational service district’s early learning centers, who serve children 12 months to 5 years old, as well as at three school-age facilities that provide before- and after-school supports to children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
For additional information, contact Jodi Wall at jodi.wall@esd112.org or at 360-952-3366.
