April 15, 2025 3:20 a.m.

Douglas Education Service District Behavioral Health Services team has received a mini grant from the Douglas Community Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation in the amount of $10,000.

An ESD release said this grant will help strengthen school-based mental health services across 13 public school districts. The funding will be used to purchase iPads and clinical assessment software, providing tools that allow providers to conduct timely, standardized evaluations and track student’s progress.

The grant will support educators with better tools to identify and assist students facing emotional or behavioral challenges. The anticipated benefits include the quality and efficiency of care, allowing mental health staff to better meet the needs of students – particularly in communities where access to mental health services is limited. ESD Assistant Director of Behavioral Health, Tiana Oaks said, “Families deserve to know that their children can get the care they need at school – without waiting months or traveling hours”. Oaks said, “These tools help us serve more students, more effectively, and with the care they deserve”.

The release said the endeavor also supports a broader, long-term strategy to build a sustainable pipeline of school-based mental health providers across Douglas County. By investing in the right tools and infrastructure now, Douglas ESD is helping lay the foundation for lasting change in how mental health support is delivered in schools.

Douglas ESD Grant Manager Cati Adkins said, “In a rural county, every resource counts”. Atkins said, “These tools help us act faster and smarter to support students who are struggling”.

Get more information about the Douglas Education Service District at: www.douglasesd.k12.or.us