APRIL 3, 2025 – Leaders from David G. Farragut Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school and Naval Hospital Rota have collaborated to create a Student Support Roadmap, a comprehensive resource guide for youth in need of mental and behavioral health support. Modeled from the Navy’s Mental Health Roadmap, this tool outlines the pathway of services and resources available to military and civilian students who attend the DoDEA school, located on Naval Station Rota. For families stationed overseas, where access to mental health resources can be limited, reducing barriers to utilizing support services is essential.
The Student Support Roadmap outlines nine primary resources for students, including installation Chaplains, Fleet and Family Center counselors, Military Health System providers, imbedded school assets and emergency services. Incorporating a stop light color scale, it allows users to identify levels of care available, ranging from no issues for safety, which might be most appropriate for a Chaplain or Military and Family Life Counselor, to needing immediate care from the Emergency Room or Crisis Line.
“When first introduced to the Mental Health Roadmap I immediately saw its usefulness for adults and wondered, where is the corresponding roadmap for youth on base?” stated Scott Cypers, a Child Psychologist and Department Head of the Educational and Developmental Intervention Service. Working with partners from across the installation, Dr Cypers was able to bring his vision of a youth centric roadmap to life.
This proactive and preventative approach aims to identify and address potential issues before they escalate into more serious problems. The roadmap is tailored to meet the unique needs of military children, who often face challenges such as frequent moves, parental deployments, and adjusting to new environments.
“I do hope the Student Support Roadmap benefits parents and youth who may not be aware of all the options and how to access them for kids who have mental health concerns,” shared Dr. Cypers.
The collaboration between DoDEA and Naval Hospital Rota has been instrumental in the development and implementation of this tool. DoDEA brings its expertise in education and student support, while clinicians at Naval Hospital Rota provide knowledge and resources in mental and behavioral health care. This partnership has enabled the creation of a holistic and integrated approach to supporting children of Department of Defense personnel, one that addresses their academic, social, and emotional needs.
“Our goal with the Student Support Roadmap is to ensure that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the right resources at the right time,” said Mr. Daniel Gostkowski, Assistant Principal of David G. Farragut DoDEA School. “We want to foster a school environment where students feel safe, supported, and understood, so they can focus on learning and personal growth”.
The Student Support Roadmap, implemented in January of 2025, has been widely shared through school and hospital outreach and messaging. DoDEA supports about 900 students in its installation base schools, though the opportunity for this tool to be used extends to the approximately 2400 DoD youth who rely on Naval Station Rota resources.
By providing a clear pathway for support, families can quickly and easily access the resources they need to help their children thrive. One of the key benefits of the student support roadmap is its focus on early intervention and prevention. By identifying and addressing potential issues early on, military children are more likely to receive the support they need to succeed academically and socially. This approach helps reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, encouraging families to seek help when they need it.
As the military continues to face the challenges of overseas deployments and assignments and need for mental health support grows, the Student Support Roadmap will remain a vital resource, providing a foundation for the mental and behavioral health support that military children need to succeed.
Naval Hospital Rota, located strategically at the gateway of the Mediterranean, generates and sustains readiness to deliver critical medical support for Department of Defense missions throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
Story by Cmdr. Jenny Paul
U.S. Naval Hospital Rota