News Post

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tonya Daniels, Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations
Email: tdaniels@elmhurst205.org
October 26, 2023

Elmhurst School District 205 Receives $249,000 Grant to Support Mental Health Services for Students
– Awarded by The Illinois Department of Public Health, the grant will allow families to access high-quality mental health services from community providers at no cost. -

Elmhurst, IL – For students and families in Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205,
connecting students and their families with community mental health services will become easier in the coming weeks, thanks to the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Elmhurst CARES Program. CARES, an acronym for Community Advocacy, Resilience, Engagement and Supports, will allow District staff to easily provide referrals to mental health providers. Funding from the grant will be used to pay for the referral service, called Referral GPS, and to provide mental health services at no cost to students from low-income backgrounds.

Funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the District plans to work
with the ten other DuPage County grantees to ensure as many students have access to the mental health services as possible. Students will have the opportunity to access services through referrals by the school district and receive telehealth support from established community-based providers. Families will also be able to review options for community mental health using a confidential website. “When students have strong mental health, they are able to do better in school, have stronger relationships with their peers, and our adults are able to connect with them so that they can focus on school,” said Dr. Kevin Rubenstein, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services who helped to coordinate the grant application process. Rubenstein continued, “put simply, this will allow our students and their families to have the necessary support and services so that they can be at their best.”

The District has been focused on its student mental health efforts including training staff on Mental Health First Aid and updating resources for students in middle schools to support social and emotional learning. “This grant aligns with the District’s mission to Educate, Engage, and Empower all students,” said Dr. Keisha Campbell, Superintendent of Schools. She continued, “the grant will build positive community partnerships that provide opportunities for student and family engagement and enhance student learning and mental health.”

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