Nineteen schools across Kentucky, including five in the Boone County Schools system, are set to be added to the statewide Division of Family Resource and Youth Services Centers (FRYSC) Network that provides administrative support, technical assistance and training to local school-based centers, Governor Andy Beshear announced Wednesday.
The primary goal of these centers is to remove barriers to learning as a means to enhance student academic success, the state said. Currently, there are 856 centers serving approximately 1,200 schools.
“FRYSC has been a beloved institution in our commonwealth for over 30 years,” said Beshear. “Many Kentucky schools have had the access to the services provided by the program and have witnessed positive outcomes for students, families and our local communities. It’s gratifying to know that 19 additional schools will be added. This will only strengthen the impact the FRYSC network is already making.”
“The FRYSC program’s impact across the commonwealth is considerable,” said Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander. “Their goal of identifying and removing non-academic barriers to learning is important to serve both students and teachers in promoting academic and personal success. The partnership between FRYSC and state and local education partners impacts many areas, including promoting parent involvement, family literacy, kindergarten readiness, drug risk awareness and improved academic performance.”
Support from the Kentucky General Assembly is adding to the grant that funds these centers.
These additional funds, the first to be added to the program since 2018, will allow the 19 new schools to be added to the FRYSC network. At each of the schools, at least 20% of students meet eligibility for free or reduced-cost meals, noted FRYSC Director Melissa Goins.
“These youth services do much more, including referrals to health and social services; career exploration and development; summer and part-time job development for high school students; substance use education and counseling; and family crisis and mental health counseling,” Goins said.
The five schools in Boone County are North Pointe, Steeplechase, and Thornwilde Elementary Schools, Conner Middle School, and Cooper High School.
-Staff report