MAGOFFIN COUNTY, Ky. — Magoffin County Public Schools has put in place extra resources within the school district to help the mental health of their students after a terrible bus crash on Monday.

What You Need To Know

  •  A School bus crashed on Monday in Magoffin County

  •  Magoffin County Public Schools is working to prioritize mental health

  •  Kentucky State Police also say a UTV accident killed two children earlier this month in Magoffin County

  • A mental health therapist says the community is coming together during these tough times 

According to Kentucky State Police, a UTV accident that killed two children, and a bus crash that injured 18 students and driver has brought back-to-back catastrophe to the community.

“The overall general feeling is just a solid feeling one of we're we've had some bad days here in the district,” Justin Bailey, director of student services, said. Bailey says these accidents have impacted many of their students and families.“It's not just the student in their classroom. That is the student that sits down the pew from them at church. That's the student that they see at your family reunions. That's the student that they can give a genealogy report because they know their parents and their grandparents,” Bailey said.

It's a small community Bailey and mental health therapist Cameron Blanton both grew up in. “I can't remember a tragedy, you know, like these. It's not just one tragedy. It's one after another after another,” Blanton said.

Blanton says the recent hardships have been difficult for everyone in Magoffin County, but says the community has stepped up in more ways than one. “The positive aspects of bringing us closer together strengthen us as a community and it's one of the I guess positive or good things that does come up,” Blanton said.

A community Blanton says has grown closer and they support one another through these tragedies, especially the most recent incident Monday morning. “We’re still recovering from the physical aspects, you know, the physical harm from it, but I guess the mental harm if there is any and I'm gonna guess there probably is for some — it's yet to be seen,” Blanton said.

From everyone in the community and the support from surrounding counties, Bailey and Blanton say it's times like these they're proud to be Kentuckians.

Magoffin County Schools released an update Tuesday morning stating that 11 of the 18 students in Monday morning's bus crash have been treated and released from the hospital. 

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