College hosts Rural Mental Health Roundtable with U.S. Department of Education leaders
West Lafayette, IN – The Purdue College of Education’s Center for Rural Research, Education, and Outreach (CRREO) proudly hosted a pivotal Rural Mental Health Roundtable last week, featuring key figures from the U.S. Department of Education. Held on September 4, 2024, the event was a special extension of Secretary Miguel Cardona’s 2024 Back to School Bus Tour and aimed at addressing the unique mental health needs and challenges faced by rural communities.
Dr. Jennifer Barce, executive director of CRREO, and Dr. Stephanie Oudghiri, director of the Center, facilitated the event, ensuring a productive dialogue between community members and federal representatives. Their partnership with the Indiana Small and Rural School Association was instrumental in addressing the nuanced challenges faced by rural districts.
The roundtable was warmly welcomed by Phillip J. VanFossen, interim dean of the College of Education. Esteemed participants included Julia Cunningham, Director of Rural Engagement at the U.S. Department of Education, and Leslie Poynter from the Rural Education Achievement Program. They were joined by a diverse group of local stakeholders including representatives from three local school corporations, Food Finders, Purdue’s Department of Public Health (housed in the College of Health and Human Sciences), and undergraduate students from rural areas.
The discussions were framed around several critical questions:
- How are you seeing mental health concerns show up in your community and among students? What do students say they need/want to support their mental health?
- What challenges exist for providing high-quality mental health supports? What strategies have you used to address these challenges, and what else is needed?
- How can the federal level, particularly the U.S. Department of Education, best support the needs of small and/or rural districts when it comes to student mental health?
- One of the Administration’s priorities is doubling the number of licensed mental health professionals in schools. What are barriers to that in your region? What have you seen work?
The roundtable served as a crucial platform for gathering first-hand insights from rural communities. The feedback collected will help inform future policies and support mechanisms designed to enhance mental health services in rural educational settings.
The roundtable highlighted both the successes and ongoing challenges faced by rural communities and provided a valuable opportunity for local and federal leaders to align their efforts in support of student mental health.
The Purdue Center for Rural Research, Education, and Outreach ensures rural collaborative partnerships that promote high quality experiences for teachers and students; coordinates education outreach efforts; and provides sustainable opportunities for advancing the needs of communities through interdisciplinary research and advocacy.
For further information about the Purdue CRREO and its initiatives, please contact: Dr. Jennifer Barce, jbarce@purdue.edu or RuralEd@purdue.edu, (765) 494-2345.
Source: Jennifer Barce, jbarce@purdue.edu