School systems throughout the Shoals have been awarded the funding. The grants are for one year, but school officials are hoping the Alabama Legislature will see fit to continue providing the funds.

Jacqueline Johnson, who has a social work and mental health background, will serve as the coordinator for Sheffield City Schools.

She said she was pleased to see the state take the initiative in recognizing the growing need for mental health care for students.

“Having individuals trained in mental health will be crucial in helping kids,” she said. “I believe we’ll see a wave of students with trauma resulting from this pandemic, as they’ve dealt with illness of loved ones, as well as loss, and increased anxiety and depression.”

Denise Woods, assistant superintendent for the Muscle Shoals City Schools, said increased mental health services are in great need.

“This grant will go a long way toward providing a coordinator to assist in prevention, intervention and community outreach in relation to the mental health needs of our students,” she said.

Woods added outreach and interaction with the community is a vital component of the new positions.

She hopes to have someone in the Muscle Shoals position in early October.

In filling the positions, districts will seek individuals with a social work/mental health background. Both Colbert County and Sheffield schools had personnel with that background already on staff. 

Colbert Superintendent Gale Satchel said she was thrilled to be able to provide for students and families “another resource to support student health.”

Woods said the urgency of the grants is in direct relation to the pandemic.

“We’re hearing from child psychologists and other health professionals that the mental health of our children is at a critical point,” she said. “We’ve been seeing a decline in children’s mental health for a number of years.”

She said she has seen suicide issues in students as young as third grade.