Marshfield Clinic accepting behavioral health grant applications from school districts
Posted: April 29, 2026
Marshfield Clinic is now accepting applications for two school-based youth mental health programs open to eligible schools across the Marshfield Clinic service area.
b.e.s.t.® Universal Screening is an innovative online tool designed to help educators support students' emotional health and identify those who may need additional behavioral support. Developed by school psychologist Eric P. Hartwig, Ph.D., the program provides practical, positive strategies to help students succeed in school.
Life Tools is an early-intervention, skill-building program that equips students with coping and social-emotional skills through structured group sessions with caregiver and school involvement.
The two programs serve complementary roles: b.e.s.t. Universal Screening helps schools proactively identify students who may need behavioral health support, while Life Tools provides targeted interventions for those students. Together, they create a prevention-to-intervention continuum that addresses needs early and reduces escalation.
This is the 12th year Marshfield Clinic has offered b.e.s.t. and the seventh year for Life Tools.
"For more than a decade, Marshfield Clinic has been a trusted partner with school districts in delivering early, preventive behavioral health support through strong school and community partnerships across the region," said Jay Schrader, senior director of Marshfield Clinic Community Relations. "The increased attention on student mental health in recent years amplifies the need for programs like b.e.s.t. and Life Tools to support students' well-being."
School districts eligible to receive the grant are located in Dickinson County, Michigan, or in the following Wisconsin counties: Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green Lake, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marquette, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Richland, Rusk, Sawyer, Shawano, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Washburn, Waupaca, Waushara or Wood.
For more information
Marshfield Clinic and its partners are offering these two opportunities to support the social, emotional and behavioral health of children and youth through one streamlined application process.
For the 2025-26 school year, 37 schools received the b.e.s.t.® platform and 30 schools received Life Tools. The programs include technical support, training, consultation and ongoing assistance.
Since 2013, Marshfield Clinic has supported implementation of b.e.s.t. Universal Screening across 89 school districts, impacting more than 600,000 screenings and 12,000 educators and staff. During the 2024-2025 school year, Life Tools expanded that impact by serving 285 students through 59 group sessions.