The Appalachian Rural Mental Initiative

Abstract--ARMHI The Appalachian Rural Mental Health Initiative (ARMHI) will increase the number of evidence- based mental health practices provided to students in high need LEAs by placing culturally responsive school psychology service providers in high-need rural Appalachian schools. The University of Kentucky, a new potential grantee, will place 20 school psychology graduate students for fieldwork practicum in two high-needs Appalachian LEAs (Absolute Priorities 1 and 2). Both counties have higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities than the Kentucky mean, and both have a high student-to-mental health provider ratio. Additionally, both districts have at least 84% of their suspension incidents occurring by students who are economically disadvantaged. Through ARMHI, school psychology graduate students will provide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) services within the high-need LEAs. Students will be provided specialized training on culturally responsive and evidence- based practices such as PREPaRE crisis prevention and trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, which will occur alongside current mental health providers within the partner LEAs (Competitive Preference Priority 2). ARMHI will intentionally recruit from low-income, rural, and/or Appalachian communities to increase the number of qualified school-based mental health service providers in high-need LEAs who are from diverse backgrounds or from communities served by the high-need LEAs (Competitive Preference Priority 1). Overall project objectives include: 1) Provide placement for 20 school psychology graduate students to complete fieldwork practicum experiences providing MTSS services for high-need students; 2) Increase graduate students’ knowledge of culturally responsive EBPs by providing specialized trainings; 3) Partner with high-need Appalachian LEAs to increase the availability of mental health services by using data to inform decisions and providing preventive services and interventions to students in need.