PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey announced today that the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) has been awarded nearly $1 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to increase and expand mental health support, trauma-informed initiatives and suicide prevention efforts in Arizona schools.
“Ensuring Arizona’s youth have the mental health care they need is a top priority for Arizona,” said Governor Ducey. “The funding awarded to our Office of Youth, Faith and Family will provide the tools necessary to respond to mental health crises, expand suicide prevention efforts and make our schools safer. My thanks to the community and school leaders who continue to raise awareness, address the mental health issues students face and create an environment where all students feel supported and safe.”
GOYFF is partnering with Crane Elementary School District No. 13 (CESD) in Yuma, Arizona to expand and enhance the Suicide Prevention and Restorative Justice programs at Crane Middle School and Centennial Middle School. Funding will allow CESD to expand efforts to:
- train school personnel and educate students on student violence prevention;
- assist in anonymous reporting concerning threats; and
- recognize and respond to mental health crises.
“It is critical that we create a safe environment in our schools and provide our students with the support they need entering adolescence,” said Tom Tyree, Yuma County Superintendent of Schools. “Students are confronted with and exposed to many types of pressures during these very critical years. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Governor Ducey’s office to provide additional resources to enhance the great work already being done in Crane’s middle schools.”
GOYFF will also partner with the Arizona Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Consortium to develop a trauma-informed training module for all 15 counties and school districts across the state. Childhood trauma affects over 30 percent of Arizona youth and more than 60 percent of adults in Arizona. Developing trauma-informed systems around children is a primary means of reducing adverse childhood experiences and mitigating the effects of early childhood trauma.
