The Southern Regional Education Board – in close collaboration with governors’ offices, state education agencies, local districts and postsecondary institutions – announced this week an initiative that will train counselors to provide sustained emotional and mental health support for students, teachers and communities impacted by tragedy.

The SREB Crisis Recovery Network will develop a pool of professionals who can respond when needed to schools affected by crises within their state or across the South. The Network will focus on recovery and complement existing crisis management efforts by focusing on stabilization and psychological resilience for students, teachers and entire communities.

Stephen L. Pruitt, president of the 16-state education compact, said building capacity and helping states share resources is something the organization is uniquely positioned to do.

“After natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes and floods or after school shootings, students, teachers and entire communities are left to cope with deep emotional and psychological wounds,” Pruitt said. “Our experience shows that people in schools affected by crisis require at least a year of dedicated support to fully recover.”

On Monday, SREB’s chair, Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, announced that he has added funding in his supplemental budget to train a pool of Georgia counselors. The first counselor training will begin next week in North Carolina.

“As we have seen at schools throughout Georgia, the Southern region, and the country, there is a need for impactful counseling services for students,” Kemp said. “That is why my budget proposal includes funding to ensure we have counselors ready to assist schools and communities impacted by crisis. I hope this resource will help all Southern states best serve their students, faculty, and families.”

Pruitt said SREB plans to train at least 40 counselors in each of the 16 SREB states and eventually prepare more than 600 counselors with specific training in psychological first aid and stabilization at schools and colleges. The trainees will come from partnering K-12 districts and postsecondary institutions. When called to serve, counselors will coordinate with the local district, school or institution to develop the most appropriate response to meet a specific local need

Media are invited to contact SREB to arrange interviews with Pruitt about the Network. For frequently asked questions and more information, see the following links:

SREB Crisis Recovery Network

Frequently Asked Questions for Crisis Recovery Network

Contact: Janita Poe, SREB News Manager, at Janita.Poe@sreb.org or 404-879-5516, ext. 216

The Southern Regional Education Board works with states, districts and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. An interstate compact and a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region.