Nearly $20,000 donated to Cullman County Schools from the Stephen K. Griffith Memorial Fund will be used to expand the district’s mental health services.

Nearly a year after Cullman resident Stephen Griffith was killed by a man who, according to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, had a history of struggling with various mental health issues, his family chose to honor his memory by establishing the memorial fund to raise mental health awareness and expand the available resources in Cullman County.

The Fund is a part of Garrison Gives Hope, Inc., a non-profit corporation established by R.E. Garrison Trucking, which has assisted community based organizations such as the Good Samaritan Health Clinic, the Margaret Jean Jones Center and Cullman Caring for kids.

However, the organization’s main focus is to benefit the Stephen K. Griffith Fund to raise mental health awareness and fill the tremendous gap in mental health care services available in Cullman County.

“The goal of the Fund is to assist Cullman County citizens who are struggling with mental illness and are unable to afford mental health treatment,” fund committee member Steve Glasscock said in a statement to The Times in 2018.

Speaking to The Times by phone on Thursday, July 6, CCBOE learning and support specialist, Karen Pinion, said the district is not alone in experiencing an increased number of students in need of mental health care. This has led to some families being met with longer wait times before a child is able to be seen, which is contingent on if their insurance covers mental health services.

The district has partnered with a variety of agencies to provide students with both individual therapy and family based support in the past. These efforts are often made possible through a combination of grant funding and donations from individual groups such as the SKG Foundation.

The recent $19,400 donation is the second the CCBOE have received from the group. The first, a $10,000 donation made in Feb. 2022, helped the district expand its mental health services. Pinion said this donation will have a slightly more targeted goal.

“Our students will benefit greatly from this. This donation will employ a school based mental health therapist for families whose families insurance doesn’t cover school based therapy. It will primarily be for crisis related situations,” Pinion said.

Superintendent Shane Barnette added, donations and groups such as this provide a testament to the generosity he sees within the Cullman County community.

“I am very thankful for the generous donation from the SKG Memorial Fund. It is partnerships such as this that make the Cullman County community special. These funds will be used to help our students receive the mental health services that they need,” Barnette said in a text message sent to The Times.