The following article was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal and published on News5Cleveland.com under a content-sharing agreement.
“Providing students with the tools they need to better cope with life stressors in healthy, safe, supportive ways helps individuals build resiliency and reduces risk factors,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a news release. “Prevention services are part of educating the whole child, meeting their wellness, as well as their academic needs.”
Prevention-focused programs, services and supports help students build skills to participate in healthy behaviors and understand the consequences of substance use, suicide, bullying, and other harmful behaviors. These programs and supports include Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports , trauma-informed practices and mental health counseling.
Nearly half of Ohio counties had all of the schools in their county offering prevention-focused programs and supports in schools, according to the report. Carroll County and Harrison County had the lowest percentage of schools offering the programs and supports in their schools.