DARIEN, CT — The Darien Board of Education last week unanimously voted to accept a gift of $100,000 from The Community Fund of Darien for a TeenTalk mental health counselor at Middlesex Middle School.
TeenTalk was designed by Kids In Crisis aims to address the need for mental health support for the youth , the nonprofit organization based in Greenwich that provides emergency shelter, crisis counseling, and community education programs for children of all ages and families.
The program, which has been implemented at Darien High School, places master’s-level mental health counselors in middle and high schools across Fairfield County.
According to their website, Kids In Crisis says 17,717 students currently have access to a TeenTalk counselor in their schools/clubs.
Counselors are specially trained to identify and assist students facing various personal, familial, and academic challenges. Services are available to students and families 24/7 and all shared information is confidential and is not reflected in the students’ school records.
MMS is expected to launch the program during the 2024 school year.
“I’m thrilled we are able to provide this resource to the middle school,” said Superintendent of Darien Public Schools Dr. Alan Addley.
Community Fund Executive Director Janet King said $30,000 came from the organization’s endowment fund. The general public then pitched in through a fundraising effort with another $30,000, and the remaining $40,000 came from the town of Darien Health Department and its opioid settlement money.
The $100,000 covers one year of the program.
King told the Board of Education that The Community Fund of Darien has committed to funding part of the program for three years. Next year, when Kids In Crisis apply for grants, they will apply for funds to support the program, King said.
Addley said the program will have to be evaluated over the course of a year to see how impactful it is.
Board Chair Jill McCammon and DPS Director of Mental Health Dr. Alycia Dadd thanked everyone involved for coming together to bring the program to the middle school level.
The June 18 Board of Education meeting can be viewed on demand on Darien TV79.
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