Our Mission 

To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities. 

Our Goals

• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success

CPI Training Announcements for 2021-22 School Year

We have learned many things throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with one of those being how to provide CPI training in the most efficient manner. When school resumes in the Fall, we know your priority is going to continue to be to have educators in the classroom, supporting children/youth; likewise, our agency’s priority is to have our staff in buildings, supporting your educators, children and youth. Highlights of CPI training in the next academic year include:

• Heartland AEA will continue with the blended learning option for CPI Initial (New) and Re-training (Refresher) certification for the 2021-22 school year.
• We continue to request that districts prioritize those staff with the highest level of risk.
• We have developed asynchronous learning options on De-Escalation / Verbal Intervention in 15, 30, and 60-minute increments
• We are asking that CPI training continue to occur within the district and/or be regionally-hosted.

Please refer to the CPI Training Information for the 2021-22 School Year for complete details.

Competitive Mental Health Grants Available to Public PK-12 Schools

On April 15, 2021, Gov. Reynolds announced that she would distribute $8.67 million of Iowa's discretionary GEER II funds for competitive mental health grants to public PK-12 schools. The purpose of the grant is to assist districts with urgent, specific or significant needs in providing mental health supports to PK-12 students that have been created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Services include coordination and delivery of mental health services and wraparound support to students, Youth/Child Mental Health First Aid training (YMHFA/Child MHFA), and suicide prevention services and programming. Competitive applications should prioritize mental health services and supports that directly impact students and families. For more information about each of the qualifying areas of mental health services and grant application process, please see Competitive Grants for Mental Health Supports for PK-12 Schools.

REMINDER! Heartland AEA Offers Youth Mental Health First Aid in Blended, In-Person and Virtual Formats

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a public education program that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. Participants do not learn to diagnose, nor how to provide any therapy or counseling rather, participants learn to support a youth developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis. Read more about YMHFA and options available to districts, including YMHFA in blended, virtual and in-person formats: YMHFA Training Options

**Child Mental Health First Aid also now available!

FCC to Launch $7.17 Billion Connectivity Fund Program for Schools and Libraries to Help Close the Homework Gap

To help schools and libraries provide devices and connectivity to students, school staff and library patrons during the pandemic, Congress established the $7.171 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund as part of the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

On May 10, the Federal Communications Commission released a new report and order outlining the rules of the new Emergency Connectivity Fund.

The full report may be found at: FCC to Launch $7.17 Billion Connectivity Fund Program.

Additional resources to this one-year funding: 

Emergency Connection Fund (ECF)

• FCC News Release May 10, 2021
• ECF/EBB Slides
• ECF Summary and Sam Guidelines
• Full Report and Order

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB)

• The FCC announced that consumers can begin applying for and enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program on May 12, 2021. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to the FCC to help low-income households pay for broadband service and connected internet devices.
• Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
• EBB Providers