Liz Thibert, Wellness Coordinator for Tahoma School District, and Greta Huntley, Resource Coordinator for the City of Maple Valley, jointly accepted the Jack Witte 'Spirit of Caring' award at the Oct. 18 ‘Toast for Recovery Breakfast,’ presented by Catholic Community Services in benefit of Katherine’s and Rita’s Houses.

Thibert and Huntley lead a partnership between the City of Maple Valley and Tahoma School District that helps to connect available resources and opportunities between the two historically siloed pockets of the Maple Valley community.

"Having positions at both the city and school district that work closely with one another has provided the opportunity to share ideas, funding, needs, break down barriers and create events together," Liz said. "The bridge this partnership has created has been magical."

This partnership has recently led to community events around attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social media use, anxiety, substance abuse, mental health, and suicide prevention. Some other collaborative initiatives have included placing mental health counselors in middle and elementary schools, assisting families experiencing homelessness, hosting assemblies in schools and providing adult professional development.

Liz and Greta are part of a collaboration called the Tahoma Behavioral Health Collective that functions to understand the full scope and needs of the community. The perspective and support from mental health agencies and private therapists allow Liz and Greta to dig deeper into the needs of the community.

Congratulations to the Liz Thibert and Greta Huntley for receiving this honor, and a special thanks to the Tahoma Behavioral Health Collective and all members of our community who help to support the mental health and wellness of our students.