H79SM087267

Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive Support Services for Students

Students in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District (KGBSD) experience trauma at extremely high rates due to region-specific social, economic, and cultural conditions. Child sexual abuse, child abuse and neglect, exposure to domestic violence, intergenerational trauma, and bullying are all concerns within the KGBSD. A dedicated focus on trauma-informed capacity building district-wide is needed to assure the successful support of students in the school system and build capacity to prevent trauma and promote healing in the community.

The proposed project would allow the school district to collaborate with partner Women in Safe Homes (WISH) to:

1. Increase the accessibility of trauma-informed mental health services and student support.
2. Expand the capacity of the KGBSD to fully integrate trauma-informed policies and practices through staff training.
3. Operationalize the use of a common framework for trauma-engaged schools.
4. Increase administrative oversight to assure compliance with best practices for trauma-informed and culturally responsive school systems.

The KGBSD and WISH have historically partnered to provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services for students and training to educators. KGBSD and WISH currently partner to provide mental health support services available to students who have experienced domestic violence. The proposed program would greatly expand the number of students able to access mental health services and expand the capacity of the district to provide social work services, educator training, and fully realize being a trauma-engaged school district.

Goals for the program are to:

1. Expand the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District's relationship with organizational partner WISH and other local mental health service providers and service agencies to better identify, refer, and provide services to students impacted by trauma and their families.
2. Increase the capacity of the school district to identify students impacted by trauma and mental health struggles and provide them with access to comprehensive, low barrier supports and services to improve their social, emotional, and academic outcomes over the lifespan.
3. Operationalize a district-wide administrative plan based on the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's Transforming Schools: A Framework for Trauma-Engaged Practice in Alaska.
4. Implement a comprehensive training and oversight plan.

The program will utilize Transforming Schools: A Framework for Trauma-Engaged Practice in Alaska (TSF), developed by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development in 2019. The evidence-based framework is a roadmap for effectively integrating components to fully realize becoming a trauma-informed school system through improvements in the domains of deconstructing trauma, relationship building, policy considerations, planning and coordination of schoolwide efforts, professional learning, schoolwide practices and climate, skills instruction, support services, cultural integration and community co-creation, family partnership, and self-care for staff.

The proposed project includes specific activities at the direct service, administrative, and school-policy levels to assure full realization of a trauma-engaged school, as described in the implementation plan. The result of implementing TSF is a school district that builds on existing efforts to fully integrate trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices in all aspects of operations.

The program will hire a program director, evaluator, three school social workers, and three school-based mental health counselors to carry out program services, including student support services, school staff training and development, enhance community partnerships, and

Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District

SAMHSA WAS GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS PRIORITY SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE THROUGH ASSISTANCE (GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS) TO STATES, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF STATES, INDIAN TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER PUBLIC OR NONPROFIT PRIVATE ENTITIES. UNDER THESE SECTIONS, CSAT, CMHS AND CSAP SEEK TO EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY OF EFFECTIVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO AMERICANS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDITIONS, AND TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND SOCIETIES AND TO ADDRESS PRIORITY MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ASSIST CHILDREN IN DEALING WITH VIOLENCE AND TRAUMATIC EVENTS THROUGH BY FUNDING GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROJECTS. GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS MAY BE FOR (1) KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION PROJECTS FOR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AND THE CONDUCT OR SUPPORT OF EVALUATIONS OF SUCH PROJECTS, (2) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, (3) TARGETED CAPACITY RESPONSE PROGRAMS (4) SYSTEMS CHANGE GRANTS INCLUDING STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK GRANTS AND CLIENT-ORIENTED AND CONSUMER RUN SELF-HELP ACTIVITIES AND (5) PROGRAMS TO FOSTER HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, (6) COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION OF PRIMARY CARE SERVICES INTO PUBLICLY-FUNDED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SETTINGS

93.243 - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance

Division of Grants Management [HHS - SAMHSA]

Ketchikan, Alaska 999016278 United States

Single Zip Code

Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth (SM-22-017)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 12/30/26 to 09/29/26 and the total obligations have increased 100% from $1,936,529 to $3,876,482.