Rivera: Over $500,000 awarded for local school programs aimed at reducing student conflict and improving mental health
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus April 15, 2026 | 4:26 PM
LANCASTER, April 15 –Advoz: Mediation & Restorative Services and the Touchstone Foundation were awarded $500,616 in grant funding to help expand their youth programs aimed at reducing student conflict and improving student mental health, respectively, state Rep. Nikki Rivera announced today.
The competitive grants, approved today by the School Safety and Security Committee under the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, is part of more than $64 million awarded to organizations across the state.
Rivera said Advoz: Mediation & Restorative Services will use its $244,850 to expand its Restorative School Program at J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster City by covering the partial salaries and benefits of the executive director, director of training, and restorative schools practitioner. Additionally, funding will be utilized for advertising and marketing expenses, rent, laptop, general operating expenses, and information technology support. The program serves approximately 750 students annually.
“I’m glad to see the state support Advoz’s critical work addressing student conflict at McCaskey before it escalates and strengthening student dynamics in such a large, diverse high school,” Rivera said. “The program provides students with a strong foundation in communication, problem solving, emotional regulation and constructive dialogue—the keys to success at school and in life. Not only does the program help the school achieve its short-term aims of improving community, attendance and graduation outcomes, it equips the students with the tools necessary to navigate life’s challenges and become productive members of society.”
According to Rivera, the Touchstone Foundation will use its $255,766 award to expand and strengthen Rise Above, a youth mental-wellness initiative serving approximately 1,120 students and young adults ages 12–26 across Lancaster County. The funds will pay a partial amount of the current program manager’s time, pay for a program assistant and an operations manager and accountant, and support employee benefits and travel to school districts within Lancaster County. Funding will also be used to support program evaluation led by Millersville University’s Dr. Carrie Smith; and communications-related costs such as photography and video documentation.
“In 2024, the Pennsylvania School Board Association’s (PSBA) State of Education reported for the fourth straight year that student mental health concerns topped all classroom needs,” Rivera said. “I am grateful that Rise Above has received funding to help expand its program providing safe, structured spaces for middle-schoolers, high-school students, and young adults to learn about mental health, practice coping skills, build social-emotional competencies, and connect with trained adult mentors.
“I want to thank the PCCD for recognizing these two programs’ vital work among our youth.”
According to Rivera, the program responds directly to community needs documented in the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey and the Foundation’s 2023 Needs Assessment, which shows high rates of depression, suicidal ideation, bullying, exclusion and barriers to mental-health access among Lancaster County youth. Through partnerships with local school districts, mental-health professionals, and community organizations, the program blends mental-health education, creative self-expression, youth leadership development, and mentorship to address gaps in early identification, access to support, and trusted adult relationships.