The Lansing School District is planning to expand mental health care services to students, staff and families.
The district announced Monday that it’s partnering with the group Care Solace to coordinate mental health support for children and adults in the school system.
“It's not just about the math and the reading, it's about the whole child and the whole adult," Lansing Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said. "We believe that this partnership is really going to say to our families, 'we love you, we care about you, and we're going to support you with more than just math and reading.'"
District officials said Care Solace will identify local mental health providers based on individual preference. The service is available at no cost to individuals and families regardless of insurance coverage.
Brian Peters, regional director for Care Solace, said the organization wants to break down barriers and stigmas associated with seeking treatment.
“It's available for 100% of your students, 100% of your staff and 100% of your student and staff families," Peters said. "If there is a need, even if you don't know for sure what that need is, we want to be accessible to you to explore options that are available.”
The district said funding for the partnership comes from a $14 million federal grant.