A grant from The Wellmark Foundation has helped Sioux Center Community School District add its first school psychologist and school social worker, expanding the support available to students.
Superintendent Gary McEldowney says the district is in the second year of a three-year grant. The first year provided $90,000, along with matching funds from the district.
The funding comes as school leaders see a growing need for student mental health support.
“We recognize that the social-emotional piece is not getting any better,” McEldowney said. “And it’s impacting kids younger and younger.”
Adding Support For Students
McEldowney says the grant helped the district employ school psychologist Hannah Arends, who joined Sioux Center from Northwest AEA. The funding also helped the district hire Kelly Van Gelder as its first school social worker.
“Both of these women are really strong advocates for kids,” he said.
Those positions complement an existing network that includes three school nurses, counselors in every building, and community organizations and health care providers.
McEldowney says nurses and counselors serve as frontline advocates for students while additional providers offer specialized services.
Across the district’s broader mental health support efforts, students had more than 500 visits with providers last year, according to McEldowney. He emphasized that the figure includes services beyond those supported by the Wellmark grant and may not capture every contact.
McEldowney says the additional funding has helped the district respond to student needs amid financial pressures.
“Our funds are becoming more and more challenging, so this grant has been a blessing in that regard,” he said.
Reducing Barriers For Families
Sioux Center and Sibley-Ocheyedan were both highlighted in a September 29 release from The Wellmark Foundation about the first year of its School Centered Behavioral Health program.
The program supports care in schools or connections through telehealth, helping rural families overcome barriers such as long drives, missed school, and time away from work.
Sibley-Ocheyedan officials reported positive feedback from families who no longer need to make special arrangements to transport their children elsewhere for services.
According to the foundation, the program supported 37 school districts and 105 building locations statewide during its first year, reaching more than 33,400 students. The foundation expects the program’s impact to grow in its second year.
