Mental Health Program to Launch in Valley Schools

Four Catholic schools in the San Fernando Valley will provide mental health services to students and their families through a new program run by a psychology professor at California State University – Northridge. Guardian Angel School in Pacoima, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary School in Sun Valley, St. Patrick Catholic School in North Hollywood and St. Genevieve Parish School in Panorama City will be part of the so-called Catholic School Collaborative. The project which was one of several recipients in a round of grants from the Well Being Trust, a mental health foundation initially funded by Providence Health & Services subsidiary Providence St. Joseph Health. The amount of the grant was not disclosed. The program will be run by Shyrea Minton, an assistant professor in the department of educational psychology at CSUN. Minton’s research has focused on the impact of mental health issues on school performance and the development of culturally-responsive counseling practices in diverse communities, according to her profile on CSUN’s website. Minton did not respond to a request for comment by press time.