Marin schools get state grant for new ‘wellness coaches’
The two-year, $544,000 outlay will support a pilot mental health support program at three school districts.
The state has awarded a two-year, $544,000 grant to set up a pilot mental health support program at three Marin school districts.
The grant, part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2022 initiative to improve youth mental health, will pay for hiring certificated “wellness coaches” at the schools, said John Carroll, the Marin County superintendent of schools.
“Certified wellness coaches will be a valuable addition to our schools and will work in direct support to students,” Carroll said.
“The program will ensure that additional certified professionals will be on site in our schools to support the mental health and emotional wellness of our students at a time when there is a great need for these vital services,” he said.
Marin was selected in a competitive process for the grant. The three districts are yet to be determined, said Ken Lippi, a deputy superintendent at the county education office.
“We are proud that MCOE was chosen to be part of the initial implementation of this program,” Lippi said.
In addition to reimbursing the school districts between $69,550 and $82,550 per coach, depending on the level of certification, the grant specifies a path for health professionals to receive state certification for the jobs, said Lisa Miller, assistant superintendent at the county education office.
“We look forward to implementing this pilot program with our district partners, as we know the need for mental health support in our schools continues to be great,” Miller said. “Over time, we look forward to seeing these positions successfully placed in schools throughout Marin.”
Prospective coaches will be screened by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information to check for their college coursework in degrees such as sociology, psychology and human development. The state agency is the source of the grant.
The state will also review applicants for a minimum level of supervised hours of field experience in child welfare, social work or mental health. People with associate’s degrees in those areas may be eligible to be a wellness coach 1, while those with bachelor’s degrees could be eligible for wellness coach 2.
Miller said the College of Marin is working with the county education office to develop career paths where prospective coaches may gain the required degrees and field work hours to qualify for the jobs. At the same time, the coursework and field work hours may be done at any accredited college or university, Miller said.
In addition to the reimbursements to the school districts for each coach hired, the grant also will cover staff supervision of the coaches and staff time for feedback discussions with the state agency staff.
The program will be part of the Marin County Office of Education’s health, safety and support department, Miller said. The department oversees and coordinates several health programs in collaboration with school districts.