Youth mental health services in Southeast Missouri receive a $48k boost

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — Nearly $48,000 in grants will enhance mental health services for youth in southeast Missouri, addressing a critical need in rural communities where suicide rates are higher due to limited resources.

The funding, provided by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the Louis L. and Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation, and Commerce Trust, will support two key initiatives.

A $25,000 grant will establish Hope Squads, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program, in the Perry County and Jackson school districts.

Another $22,975 grant will fund Family Mental Health Awareness events, Hope Squad training, and additional counseling services in the Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

The grants are part of the Coover Regional Youth Mental Health Grant Program, which awarded $250,000 to organizations across central and southern Missouri.