The Center for Childhood Resilience at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago said Thursday they have rolled out a new statewide online platform to provide schools with tools to strengthen student mental health.
Officials said the collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education will help educators better recognize students facing mental health challenges and give them tools to support those students or direct them to additional services.
The platform is another step for Illinois to become a national leader in addressing the mental health and well-being of youths, said Dr. Colleen Cicchetti, executive director of the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
“By bringing together schools, community groups, and public agencies, we’re making sure kids across the state get the help they need, when and where they need it,” she said. “(The portal) gives schools practical tools and support to care for their students and strengthen the systems that surround them. This work is not only urgent — it’s making a real difference in the lives of children, families and communities every day.”
The portal, which began as a pilot last school year, allows schools to complete a 15-minute survey. Once completed, the information is combined with existing state-collected data to generate a personalized snapshot to help each school identify areas of strength and opportunity.
From there, schools can use virtual tools to help them develop and implement an action plan focused on mental health, trauma-responsiveness, cultural awareness and critical life skill teaching.
The portal is part of Illinois’ broader effort to improve youth mental and behavioral health, said Dana Weiner, the chief officer for Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation in the Governor’s Office. Other steps taken in recent years include work to implement universal mental health screenings, and a portal to connect families with existing services.
“ISBE and Lurie Children’s Hospital have been key partners in efforts to ensure that schools are places where young people can receive the support they need to thrive,” Weiner said.