CINCINNATI, Ohio — Jae’auna Felton is a graduate student majoring in social work at the University of Cincinnati. She interns at Aiken High School, one of 66 Cincinnati Public Schools. 


What You Need To Know

  • The new MEASURES program looks to increase the number of mental health professionals in high-need Cincinnati Public Schools

  • The grant is supported by a five-year, $3.75 million federal grant and will support a total of 45 students

  • Jae'auna Felton is a graduate student majoring in social work at the University of Cincinnati and interns at Aiken High School

She said most of her days involve being a mediator or a listening ear for students sharing their day-to-day issues. But Felton, too, has experienced tragedy. 

“My mother was just in her home. She was in her bedroom when a stray bullet went through the window. I just knew it couldn't be real,” Felton said.  

Felton, her twin sister, and two younger siblings lost their mother to gun violence back in 2019. She’s now turned her pain into purpose and hopes to help and inspire people as a social worker.  She said it's what her mother would’ve wanted.

“Meeting other social workers who were in my life that helped me overcome, grieve, and accept that pain and loss is why I’m hoping to pay it forward,” Felton said.  

She's one of 45 students who will benefit from the new MEASURES (Cincinnati Mental Health, Education and Successful Urban Relationship Expansion in the Schools) program. Funded by a five-year, $3.75 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the initiative looks to increase the number of mental health professionals in high-need CPS schools. The grant provides funding for tuition, a living stipend between $10,000-$15,000, and covers child care costs if needed. Funding supports UC graduate students majoring in school psychology, school and mental health counseling, and social work. 

“It’s difficult for students to get an education, pay all that money for tuition, and then get a career that's paying them really about what they spent on their tuition to get that education. Sometimes they might have spent more,” La Guardia said.  

Amanda La Guardia is an Associate Professor in UC’s School of Human Services and a grant co-author. She told Spectrum News 1 that their key goals are to recruit, create partnerships, provide local mental health career education, and diversify the workforce to ensure providers reflect the demographics of the students they serve. 

“If they’re able to see people that look like them, that are serving as mental health providers, it helps them to feel more comfortable, like that person is going to understand them,” La Guardia said.  

The graphic below puts that need into perspective, showing the ratio of the number of school-based mental health service providers (SB-MHSP) for CPS compared to the number of students they’re serving. 

The National Center of Education Statistics reports that nearly all U.S. public schools provided some form of mental health service for students last year. 

The hope is that students like Felton will help fill in gaps. Felton said that the program will give her the opportunity to stay in school and study in Ghana this spring. Once she graduates in May, she doesn’t plan on going far. “Being an intern, I’m only here two days out of the week. They need someone who can be here consistently. They need consistency. That’s why I hope to be here long term,” Felton said.  

Central State University in Ohio is also a partner in the new initiative, providing those students with the opportunity to pursue a graduate degree.

Despite workforce shortages, Cincinnati Public Schools have added 26 individuals to its mental health professionals’ team since 2022.