LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — More than 300 school bus drivers in Lake County received Mental Health First Aid training as the course prepared the drivers to identify signs of mental illness and provide assistance if needed. 

For the last 34 years, Audrey Tabor starts her day boarding a school bus. 

“I love driving a bus, I love the kids. It’s just in my blood,” said the Lake County Schools bus driver. 

Tabor enjoys interacting with the students on her bus and she gets to know their personalities. 

“I’m hoping that us being the first one that they see and the last one they see in the afternoon, if they feel the need to, they can open up to us and talk to us,” said Tabor.  

She recently received another tool, to help keep the kids rolling along. Lake County Schools gave its bus drivers a Youth Mental Health First Aid course.

“How to recognize if you have a student has a problem of any sort,” said Tabor. 

Lake County Schools Student Services Director Dr. Kristine Landry says it is important to give the drivers awareness training. 

“What we really need is like a cadre of people throughout the community who all understand this basic need for kids to be able to talk to them, be able to ask for help if they need it,” said Landry.

The classes focus on teaching what is developmentally appropriate behavior for a child, versus what could be a cry for help. 

“Mental health for the past several years is becoming less and less stigmatized. So people are talking about it more, kids are now self advocating,” said Landry.

Tabor found herself in a situation she says she would not have recognized without taking this course, when a student’s demeanor changed.

“They get on the bus and you say, good morning, how are you, and they just look at you like they’re running through you and they don’t respond. She just looks. You try to talk to them, still no response. So I turned it in to the school and told them they might want to check on her, cause there was definitely a problem,” said Tabor.

The district hopes this training will help keep the wheels turning in the right direction for its students and beyond.

“People appreciate it, they can make it real to their own lives because we’re not only in education, but we’re in our communities as well,” said Landry.

“I’m there to be their friend, someone they can open up to and talk to and if they need help, maybe I’ll be the one who can get them some help,” said Tabor. 

Lake County Schools started the Youth Mental Health First Aid course two years ago. So far, 57% of school and district personnel have been trained. The goal this year is to add another 25%.