Everybody Matters: Bringing Mental Health Support to Schools
Lori Madrid loved her job as a school social worker, waking up every day to help kids with their mental health. But there was a big problem: too many students needed help, schools often lacked the funding to get extra support, and she’s just one person.
“I was outnumbered by the kids who needed my help, and I started to get frustrated,” Madrid shared.
Her solution? Bringing interns in!
“We partnered with universities, we solved the problem, and now kids that would never be able to get services are being served.”
Everybody Matters
Madrid is the founder and CEO of Everybody Matters, a non-profit that teaches coping and social skills to kids K-12 who could benefit from the extra support, like those struggling with trauma.
Everybody Matters counselors are university interns majoring in social work, psychology, or related fields, who get specialized training from experienced social workers on the Everybody Matters team.
“Last year we had 45 interns, and our combined caseload was 1,435 kids across the state,” Madrid said. “As an enormous team, they met with kids over 14,000 times. That’s 14,000 face-to-face contacts that would have never happened if we didn’t have these interns doing the work.”
Counselors go to campuses across the state to work with students one-on-one.
“We provide services rurally.” Madrid explained. “We’re in Miami and Globe, and we meet with kids that are out by the Grand Canyon virtually. I know how important it is to help young people learn coping skills as soon as possible, no matter where they live or their circumstances.”
How AZ Blue is helping
Funding from the AZ Blue Foundation has helped Everybody Matters reach more students.
“AZ Blue Foundation funds fill Arizona's serious mental health gap,” Madrid said. “We have the expertise to change children’s lives, but we can’t evoke this change without the Foundation’s support.”
Our partnership has made a measurable difference!
“Children in the schools supported by the AZ Blue Foundation reported an average of 86% increase in their overall sense of well-being.”
To learn more about Everybody Matters, visit: Everybody Matters.