Anna Maria College has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Department of Justice to implement the Supportive School Safety Intervention Project (SIP) in Central Massachusetts. This transformative initiative aims to increase school safety by addressing mental health challenges and promoting supportive learning environments for students, educators, parents, and communities.
The project, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s STOP School Violence Grant Program, will enable Anna Maria’s recently established Mental Health Training Institute to provide free, evidence-based mental health and safety training to school personnel, law enforcement officers, students, and community stakeholders. Over the next three years, Anna Maria plans to train 1,500 individuals in mental health first aid, reaching schools in four districts initially and expanding outreach across Central Massachusetts.
“This generous grant enables us to tackle the root causes of violence by focusing on mental health and community collaboration,” said Mary Lou Retelle, President of Anna Maria College. “It builds on our extensive effort over the past two years to provide Mental Health First Aid Training to public safety professionals across the Commonwealth. More than 3,000 police, fire, EMT, and corrections officers were involved in that initiative funded through Congressionally Directed Spending from Senators Markey and Warren. Through this new grant, we are committed to helping schools and communities build safer and more supportive environments.”
The SIP program is set to launch with outreach in Worcester County, beginning in the Auburn, Leicester, Oxford, and Spencer-East Brookfield school districts. Mental health is not one size fits all. As a result, SIP will provide individualized training and resources based on the specific needs of each school district thereby allowing schools to pinpoint and directly address the unique mental health needs of their student populations. The initiative will support these communities by delivering mental health first aid training, creating stronger ties between schools and local organizations, and providing ongoing resources through Anna Maria College’s Public Safety programs and Mental Health Training Institute.
“We are grateful to the Bureau of Justice Administration for this award, which is a testament to the significant community impact of our academic programs, particularly our newly established Mental Health Training Institute and our public safety programs,” said Dr. Chioma Ugochukwu, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
