A successful pilot initiative designed a mental health navigator program to connect students in Mankato with essential behavioral health services is expanding to encompass additional schools across a four-county region in the current academic year.
The Youth Mental Health Navigator program, spearheaded by the Greater Mankato Area United Way, was introduced in 2022 within select Mankato Area Public Schools locations.
Patrick Clark, the navigator, operated within these schools to facilitate access to mental health care for elementary students and their families.
Through the infusion of grant funds, the program is set to welcome three more navigators, enabling its extension to cover a total of 13 districts across Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur, and Waseca counties.
Youth Mental Health Navigator Program To Escalate Mental Health Requirements
Patrick Clark views this expansion as a positive development for students, families, school staff, and providers alike. He remarked, “It provides a lot of hope to everyone for parents to have someone to walk alongside them at difficult times.”
Initiated as a response to the escalating mental health requirements of students and the challenges families encounter while seeking and securing services, the school-based program is focused on kindergarten through sixth grade.
Clark characterized the navigators as a supportive complement to a school’s existing resources, allowing social workers, teachers, and counselors to concentrate on other student needs.
Within this expansion, two navigators will be stationed in Mankato schools, while the remaining two will be placed in other districts. The partnership between the United Way and the South Central Service Cooperative facilitated the hiring and funding of additional navigators, as explained by Elizabeth Harstad, the United Way’s community impact director.
Harstad noted, “We wanted to make sure we could make this available to any district in our four-county area.”
A portion of the funding to enable this expansion has been secured through grants, including contributions such as $250,000 over five years from Blue Earth County, $100,000 over five years from the city of Mankato, and $50,000 over five years from Waseca County.
These financial injections supplement the support provided through the United Way’s annual fundraising campaign and local charitable organizations.
During the Aug. 21 meeting, the Mankato Area Public Schools Board acknowledged the program’s significance.
Superintendent Paul Peterson commented on the early data from the navigator program, indicating that the investment of time and resources was indeed worthwhile for the students and the community.
Statistics revealed that over the past year, Clark received 129 referrals and managed to connect approximately 100 students to vital services.
“They provided case management to ensure that there were no persistent barriers that kept students from receiving those services,” Harstad highlighted.
Barb Kaus, CEO of the United Way, attributed the program’s success to the closely-knit collaboration with schools. The recognition from board members is a testament to this achievement.
“They were willing to embrace the pilot program from the beginning, and look where we’re at today,” Kaus remarked.
Referrals to the program can originate from school staff or parents. In cases where the referral is from school staff, parents are informed, and the ultimate decision about whether to seek help from a navigator rests with them.
The majority of parents expressed willingness to receive assistance. After initial contact, the navigator and the family discuss the most suitable services for the student before connecting them with a provider.
Clark highlighted that accessing mental health services at an earlier stage leads to more favorable outcomes. This approach is proactive rather than reactive, addressing the issue proactively.
With this expansion, Kaus envisions the potential of the program to serve as a model for other communities. She expressed pride in the region’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote mental health.
“Our region should be very proud to be supporting initiatives that support mental health,” she concluded.