La Guardia, an associate professor in UC’s School of Human Services, and UC social work graduate student Jae'auna Felton, who is participating in the program, have appeared in local news segments to explain the need for the program and how it works.

The five-year, 3.75million program will train graduate students in mental health degree programs onsite at the top high-needs schools within CPS: Aiken New Tech High School, Woodward Career Technical High School and Hughes STEM High School. The graduate students will work alongside mental health providers at the schools for 20 hours a week and receive a stipend and tuition reimbursement.    

Felton expounded on her personal history, as someone lost a parent to gun violence. Her interaction with social workers at the time impacted her career choice, she says.    

According to La Guardia, in 2022-23, only 12% of all CPS students were referred to community-based mental health providers. Of these, 1,298 students did not receive services, largely due to long waitlists driven by shortages in the workforce.

Read the UC web story.

Reporters from both Spectrum News and WCPO Channel 9 covered the new program.

SPECTRUM NEWS: New program looks to increase number of mental health professionals in Cincinnati Public Schools

WCPO: 'There's a massive shortage' | CPS, UC team up to expand mental health support for students

Featured image at top courtesy of iStock/KatarzynaBialasiewicz.