NORTHAMPTON — Backed by a $1.1 million state grant, the Collaborative for Educational Services is poised to expand its mental health consultation services for children beyond its traditional base of communities in Hampshire and Franklin counties to serve families in Hampden, Worcester and Berkshire counties.
The Northampton nonprofit is one of five organizations in the state to receive a total of $5 million in grants through a Department of Early Education and Care initiative to expand mental health consultation services for children and to train educators to better support young students in classroom environments.
The grants aim to make childhood mental health services accessible throughout the state and to reduce suspension and expulsion rates in early education settings.
Desiree Lalbeharie, director of early childhood, explained that CES plans to use this funding to bring in new staff coordinators to help service communities in Hampden, Berkshire and Worcester counties. There will also be a new position added called a “family support specialist.”
“The goal is for them to help connect families to resources,” Lalbeharie said.
Additional next steps will include offering more professional development opportunities for teachers and starting “open hours,” which will be a set time for families to reach out to the collaborative with any questions they have, Lalbeharie said.
By providing free professional development opportunities for teachers, the collaborative hopes to help educators feel more prepared to manage difficult classroom environments.
“Early education tends to be on the lower end when it comes to salaries, so being able to access this free service makes a difference,” she said.
This is an annual statewide grant that aims to “meets the needs of the programs, providers, educators, children, families and communities throughout the commonwealth,” as stated in the grant description.