The Lebanon County Community Health Council was awarded a two-year, $150,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to address the mental health of students in three local districts.

The Student Mental Health Needs Support Grant was used to suggest programming and other services to address the mental health needs of young people that became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Mental health is a top priority identified in all recent community health needs assessments we have done for our communities,” said Nicky Maurer Gray, executive director of the Community Health Council, in a press release. says.

The funds will be used to serve the school communities in the Anvil-Kleona, Cornwall-Lebanon and North Lebanon school districts.

The Community Health Council partners with Compeer, Domestic Violence Intervention, Empower the Mind, and WellSpan Philhaven to deliver the program. This includes direct support such as individual and group counseling, prevention training and introductory workshops.

“We are very excited to be able to step up these supports for local youth at a time when waiting lists to see therapists and counselors are growing.

Families from participating school districts will learn more about the program as it unfolds during the school year.

For more information about the Lebanon County Community Health Council, please visit the organization’s website.

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