State Senator Javier Cervantes announced that the Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded more than $175,000 to Cicero School District 99 to support post-pandemic child and adolescent health. “During and after the pandemic, our youth have had a hard time readjusting to everyday learning and school environments,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This funding will help communities like ours combat the mental health crisis in our schools and ensure kids across Illinois get the help they need to succeed.” The grant – funded primarily from the CDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding program – is intended to help schools and local agencies improve student care through workforce enhancements, developing frameworks to prevent adverse childhood experiences, interventions to assist children suffering from trauma, and training for medical and school staff to expand adolescent mental health resources. Projects funded through the program incorporate a diverse set of strategies to strengthen mental health services for students across Illinois. These include developing student support programs and offering specialized curriculums in areas like stress management and nutrition; providing mental health training, education and support for teachers and all school personnel; creating suicide awareness and prevention efforts; creating plans for mental health outreach; developing plans to address mental health needs during current and future public health emergencies; hiring counselors and other mental health professionals; and providing telehealth counseling and evaluation services. Over $9 million was awarded to 40 applicants across the state through this round of funding.