‘Get Kids Ahead’ initiative awards schools money for mental health programming

OMRO, Wis. (WBAY) – Gov. Tony Evers awarded more than $26 thousand to the Omro School District for mental health services Wednesday.

“This investment really builds on the work we have already been doing, and that you’ve already been doing here to live happy and healthy lives both inside and outside the classroom,” Gov. Evers said while awarding the district a check.

Omro already has a successful, established program. District officials said the money is going to be additional help moving forward.

“Part of the reason we are here is to show the state that there are places where these things are really being done well,” Gov. Evers said.

Since before the pandemic, the Omro School District made mental health a priority for students. The district was even awarded a grand exceeding $200 thousand from the city for programming.

The district created outlets like Project Wellness, Sources of Strength and Samaritan Wellness… all focused on giving kids and teachers the help they need during hard times.

“It’s something I feel we need to focus on. The youth are the people that change the world tomorrow and none of us can do that if we are not at our full capacity at all times,” Sources of Strength President Matthew Rilling said. “I wanted to think everyone for realizing that mental health is not something we should shy away from, something that we shouldn’t talk about, but instead something we should bring light to.”

Gov. Evers is on a mission to help every district in the state get to the same level as Omro. He said every public school district in the state had the option to receive at least $10 thousand for mental health programs.

In a new report from the CDC, they found more than a third of teens across the state reported they experienced poor mental health in the last year. Forty-four percent reported feeling hopeless or sad.

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