PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLX) – The School District of Palm Beach County is rolling out state mandated mental health lessons for students. The directive comes as more states are requiring mental health education by law.
The State Board of Education is requiring at least five hours of mental health instruction in every public school between sixth and twelfth grades, while elementary schools have other requirements they must meet.
This semester, elementary schools are taking an innovative and creative approach to connect kids with mental health resources, including Galaxy E3 Elementary School in Boynton Beach.
The school transformed a classroom into a sanctuary of sorts called the ‘mindfulness room.’ The goal is to make sure help is ready and available on a moment’s notice for students dealing with stress and anxiety, especially as the pandemic wears on.
“A lot of students have had loss transitions to different homes or health issues at home, they’ve lost family members, so we know that we’re going to have students and teachers coming onto campus that are going to need support,” said Principal Lisa Brumfield.
The Center for Child Counseling is one of several agencies partnering with the Palm Beach County School District to have therapists co-located at schools.
“Be there for the children when they come in to see where they are with things not only academically but also their social emotional health,” said Center for Child Counseling Chief Program Officer Lauren Scirrotto.
The initiative is a part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act.
This plan also furthers the Palm Beach County School commitment to equity and wellness.
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