$80,000 Grant to Expand School-Based Mental Health Services

Community Foundation of Sarasota County funding will support a full-time clinician serving students at Innovation Academy SRQ and Star Lab.

(September 14, 2026) – A child struggling with anxiety, trauma or overwhelming emotions doesn’t stop struggling when the school day begins. Drawing on more than 10 years of experience providing school-based mental health services, The Florida Center for Early Childhood launched a new program last year at Innovation Academy SRQ, a tuition-free public charter school serving VPK through fifth grade. Now, an $80,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will expand that program and bring dedicated school-based mental health services to Star Lab, a private K-5 elementary school, for the first time. Funding for this grant was made possible by the Community Foundation’s Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund, Edward K. Roberts Fund and Leslie and Margaret Weller Fund.

The grant will support a portion of the salary and benefits of a full-time mental health clinician who will serve both schools throughout the school year. Working directly on each campus, the clinician will provide mental health assessments, individual and group counseling, crisis intervention and family support, as well as consultation with teachers and school staff.

 “Children learn best when they feel understood, supported and emotionally secure,” says Melissa Robinson, LMHC, IMH-E, vice president of Behavioral Health Services. “When a clinician is part of the school community, we can respond earlier, work closely with teachers and families and help children manage difficult emotions and build confidence in themselves and their ability to learn.”

Last year, a $42,000 grant supported a part-time clinician at Innovation Academy. Seventeen students received 283 hours of direct therapy and teachers received 193.75 hours of consultation and coaching. Nearly 82% of participating students made measurable progress toward their treatment goals. School staff also reported more prosocial behaviors and improved emotional regulation among students receiving services.

The program is expected to serve approximately 35 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The Florida Center will track the number of students served, counseling and consultation hours provided and students’ progress toward individualized treatment goals. Feedback from families, teachers and school administrators will also help measure the program’s impact.

 “Our students thrive when their emotional wellbeing is supported alongside their academic growth,” says Fayth Jenkins, head of school at Innovation Academy SRQ. “Having a clinician on campus gives children access to help in a place they already know and gives our teachers and families a knowledgeable partner in responding to each student’s needs.”

That emphasis on supporting the whole child is shared by Star Lab.

“Star Lab was created around the understanding that every child learns and grows at their own pace,” says Alison Rini, founder and head of school at Star Lab. “Dedicated school-based mental health services will add an important layer of support, helping students build the emotional skills and confidence they need to take on challenges and persevere.”

Photo captions:

• A student and educator share a playful moment. A substantial grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will help The Florida Center expand its school-based mental health services, giving more students access to support within the familiar environment of their school.
• A student and educator work together in the classroom. An $80,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will support The Florida Center’s school-based mental health program, providing students with mental health services during the school day while also offering consultation and support to teachers and school staff.
• Alison Rini, founder and head of school at Star Lab. The school will receive dedicated school-based mental health services for the first time through The Florida Center for Early Childhood.
• Fayth Jenkins, head of school at Innovation Academy SRQ, where The Florida Center for Early Childhood provides school-based mental health services to support students’ emotional, social and academic growth.
• A student shares a smile with a stuffed friend at Innovation Academy. An $80,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will help The Florida Center for Early Childhood expand school-based mental health services for area students.
• Star Lab students proudly display their creations during a classroom activity. A grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will bring The Florida Center’s school-based mental health services to Star Lab for the first time.

About The Florida Center for Early Childhood

For more than 45 years, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been the leading provider of therapeutic services, early education, and healthy development for young children in southwest Florida, offering a seamless delivery of services for the whole child and their family. Today, the agency is nationally recognized for its early childhood expertise in various specialties. The Florida Center provides developmental therapies, mental health counseling, Starfish Academy preschool, the Healthy Families home-visiting program, and the state’s only Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic, with locations in Sarasota, Orlando and Pensacola.