Investing in Kids (INK!), an educational nonprofit organization that supports St. Johns County public school students, teachers and schools, including those in St. Augustine, is collaborating with community agencies to identify and address the mental health and behavioral needs of students and residents through two anonymous online surveys.
St. Augustine Youth Services (SAYS), EPIC Behavioral Health Care (EPIC), The St. Johns County Behavioral Health Consortium and the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida are among the agencies assisting INK! with the surveys, which were created for youths ages 10-17 and adults ages 18 and older.
INK!’s executive director, Cathy Newman, described the surveys as ways to collect data that will be used for a Community Needs Assessment scheduled to be released to all residents, community organizations, and health providers in August.
“The more community input, the more robust the data and insights will be in the final report,” she said.
Other pieces of this puzzle include community focus groups and interviews with community and business leaders, local agencies and service providers.
According to Newman, the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations and the Department of Education funded the surveys under its umbrella initiative entitled "Resiliency Through the Community."
“Resiliency Through the Community includes the comprehensive Community Needs Assessment, along with community-based initiatives, school/student-focused initiatives, and teacher/administrator-focused initiatives,” she said. “INK! connected with SAYS, EPIC, the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida, and other community agencies to identify and better understand how local agencies can support the mental health needs of both teens and adults.”
Schuyler Siefker, SAYS executive director, described community participation as crucial.
“As a provider of children's behavioral health services in St. Johns County for over three decades, we recognize that understanding the evolving needs of our youth requires their direct input,” he said. “Without their insights, we cannot fully address the challenges they face nor tailor our services to effectively meet their needs."
Siefker said that he remains confident that community feedback will directly affect the delivery of services, leading to positive outcomes for all.
“Therefore, I urge all youth and their families to participate in this survey. By doing so, not only are you contributing to the improvement of community services, but you are also shaping the future of our St. Johns County community as engaged residents and stakeholders,” he said.
“It is our hope that the final assessment report will provide insights that will help us and our partners better serve the St. Johns County community,” concluded Newman.
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