$150k Renewal Awarded for Mental Health and Well-Being Grant

MISSOULA – The University of Montana Safe Schools Center (MSSC) recently received a $150k grant renewal from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to continue their work with the Montana Happiness Project (MHP) on mental health and well-being resources for Montana teachers.

Thanks to this collaborative grant, which was first awarded in December 2022, the MHP and the MSSC have developed and delivered low-cost happiness courses and workshops to teachers across the state.

When looking at what demographic was most in need and would best benefit from these resources, Dr. John Sommers-Flanagan, UM counseling professor, immediately thought of educators.

“Teachers work hard and have made a commitment to making the world a better place by educating our youth,” says Dr. Sommers-Flanagan.

However, Dr. Sommers-Flanagan says teachers are often under stress and underappreciated.

One of the classes produced through this grant is the graduate-level Happiness for Teachers course (COUN 595) offered at the University of Montana. This course aims to equip teachers with evidence-based happiness strategies that can improve their emotional and physical well-being. Teachers learn how to utilize these practices in their everyday lives and in their classrooms.

This course is offered asynchronously so that participants can proceed through the content at their own pace. Teachers who complete the course can receive either OPI credits or graduate credits.

Through these resources, the MSSC and the MHP hope to increase teacher morale, help students flourish, and contribute to the overall well-being of Montanans. “Happier teachers and happier students relate to safer schools,” says Nancy Berg, assistant director of the MSSC.

With the continuation of the grant, the MSSC and the MHP hope to expand their offerings and produce more courses and training that could benefit teachers.