The Richmond County School System has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Department of Justice FY 18 STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program. The RCSS is one of only 16 organizations in the country to receive a grant in this category.

This DOJ program supports efforts by state, local, and federally-recognized Indian Tribes to prevent and reduce school violence through training for school personnel and students, the development and operation of anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence, and the development of school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams to intervene and respond to individuals with mental health issues potentially impacting school safety.

“We are excited about the opportunities this grant provides us to support school safety,” said Dr. LaMonica Hillman, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “By providing students and teachers with the tools they need to support social and emotional awareness, we can positively affect school culture and climate to reduce the risk of school violence.”