Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington State Association is proud to announce a multilateral, public-private partnership to support mental health and well-being of Club members and their families.
With the help of recently secured Behavioral Health Promotion Pilot grants from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Norcliffe Foundation, all Club organizations in the state are in the process of hiring or contracting Behavioral Support Specialists. These positions will be focused on promoting mental health programs and initiatives with Club members: leading small group sessions on positivity, meditation, and conflict resolution skills; helping Club families navigate complex behavioral health landscapes in their local community if further support is needed; assist Club staff with guiding good behavior and creating a trauma-informed Club environment. These partnerships also provide resources for statewide staff training in PAX Tools for Human Services, an evidence-based trauma-informed behavior guidance practice developed by the PAXIS Institute. Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington will partner with other statewide youth development providers like YMCAs of Washington, Communities In Schools of Washington, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and School’s Out Washington to provide funds for staff training in trauma-informed care. The mental health crisis is continuing to affect our youth in a variety of ways with possible long-term consequences, and Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington are proud and ready to conduct this very important prevention and promotion work.