Casey DeSantis announces ‘resiliency’ program to prepare Florida youth for life’s challenges

Published Mar. 22, 2023, 2:07 p.m. ET | Updated Mar. 22, 2023

Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis hosts Tallahassee, Fla. roundtable on resiliency efforts, March 22, 2023. (Video/Gov. Ron DeSantis' office)
Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis hosts Tallahassee, Fla. roundtable on resiliency efforts, March 22, 2023. (Video/Gov. Ron DeSantis' office)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis held a roundtable Wednesday touting Florida as the “first state in the nation” rethinking “mental health” care.

“We are rejecting the stigma-laden term ‘mental health’ and replacing it with ‘resiliency,'” DeSantis said. “We have an obligation to teach and to empower our students to learn how to persevere and how to overcome life’s inevitable challenges.”

“It’s not a matter of if you are faced by a challenge in life – it’s a matter of when.”

After the roundtable, the State Board of Education adopted DeSantis’ recommendations as new standards for “resiliency education.”

According to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, the new standards incorporate the following skills: “grit, perseverance, gratitude, personal responsibility, volunteerism, critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, citizenship and honesty.”

More than $21 million was additionally announced to distribute and create the new curriculum, which will include “toolkits” for parents and teachers.

“As a mama of three little ones, I am proud that Florida is leading the nation in education, and I am thrilled to see how our efforts to reframe and rethink mental health will equip our students and future Floridians to be more resilient,” DeSantis said. “We also know that by incentivizing parental involvement in schools, our students will benefit academically and culturally from the positive influence of mentorship.”

“First Lady Casey DeSantis continues to champion Florida’s students and families,” Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. said. “Because of her leadership, the State Board of Education passed innovative resiliency standards today, that will help students in all grades develop personal responsibility, grit and other important skills to help them succeed in school and life.” 

New “resiliency standards” adopted are meant to target young students as early as possible, teaching them things like volunteerism and responsibility.

“The standards embed concepts of civic responsibility through citizenship and mentorship to not only help students understand the value of these ideas, but to actively engage in activities and exercises that will prepare them to be upstanding, responsible citizens,” DeSantis’ office said.

They said four “pathways” of student support and mentorship have been developed:

  • Resiliency Coach: Parents and community members can take training on how to implement the guidelines.
  • Certified School Counselor & Endorsement of School Counseling Mentor: Will support students in building resiliency qualities.
  • School Counseling Apprentice: Will support students experiencing challenges.
  • Resiliency Endorsed Educator: Will receive additional training on counseling and resiliency standards.

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