By Virginia Coleman-Prisco

An $8.7 million U.S. Department of Education grant has been awarded to EdAdvance with the
purpose of increasing school-based mental health services over the next five years to 30 K-12
schools in northwestern Connecticut. EdAdvance is one of Connecticut’s six Regional
Educational Service Centers (RESCs), and its mission is to promote the success of school districts
and their communities. The goal of the grant is to increase the number of credentialed school-
based mental health providers and services in small rural schools in this area.
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The grant funding will be used by EdAdvance to recruit and hire 15 diverse, credentialed school-
based mental health professionals to provide services at schools in 20 communities. Many
schools will partner to share a full-time employee. Botelle and Barkhamsted Elementary have
agreed to share one professional between the two schools, which will equate to roughly 80
days per school over the 190-day school year. This will allow the schools to share costs and
benefits and will increase the candidate pool by offering a full-time, benefitted position.
Since Botelle already has a full-time school psychologist, Ashleigh Buono, the new position will
be filled by a school social worker with valid Connecticut certification. School superintendent
Mary Beth Iacobelli stated that “having a social worker to provide services will be beneficial to
the Botelle community.” An employment offer has gone out to a candidate with a start date
pending.

The major responsibilities of this role include providing individual and group counseling;
assessing students’ mental health needs and educational and social-emotional functions;
providing data and insight to the schools’ Planning and Placement Team for specific student
needs; and responding to crises and emergent situations. As with most social workers, the new
staff member will assist in developing community awareness of student needs and refer
students, parents and families to community agencies, as needed. School social workers are the
liaisons between home, school and community, and they promote the success of all students by
supporting their academic and social success.  EdAdvance is the only RESC in the region to
receive this grant and Botelle School will use this advantage to support its students and
community.