MENTAL HEALTH - InVESTING
Professional Development > Learning Playlists > Mental Health – Investing
According to the literature, 3.8 million U.S. children have unmet mental health needs. Of children with an identified mental health need, only a little bit over half, 51% get the mental health support they need. Of those students, 58% get that help in schools. There is also a shortage of mental health providers, and many barriers to people finding linguistically and culturally appropriate services on top of other barriers that we know exist in school communities. For many students, schools are the first and only setting in which they receive behavioral health supports. This is why this topic of mental health literacy is so critical for schools and districts.
The information below is recommended for schools or districts who have done a significant amount of work implementing mental health systems but need additional resources and support to ensure sustainability. These resources focus on mental health literacy and promotion (Tier 1), which are fundamental components of school or district-wide student mental health supports.
You are ready for the “investing” stage of the Mental Health Pillar if you have strong Tier 1 systems in place, so now you are building high-functioning behavioral health teams, and are working toward sustainable schoolwide practices that promote mental wellness for all students, including universal screening. These resources focus on mental health literacy and promotion (Tier 1), which are fundamental components of school or district-wide student mental health supports.
- 45 minutes
The School Mental Health Quality Assessment is designed for schools to assess the comprehensiveness of the school mental health system, and identify priority areas for improvement. The assessment covers seven domains: 1) Teaming; 2) Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping; 3) Mental Health Screening; 4) Mental Health Promotion – Tier 1; 5) Early Intervention and Treatment – Tier 2 & 3; 6) Funding and Sustainability; and 7) Impact. The assessment is best done as a team that has broad and diverse participation to ensure meaningful assessment, successful planning, and implementation. There is also a version that can be used at the district level.
Access the SMHQ assessment via the SHAPE system, which requires registering on the site.
This 75-minute webinar, recorded on February 15, 2024, covers trauma-informed and culturally responsive mental health screening practices for district and school administrators, behavioral health professionals, and service providers. Learn to create a screening plan, assess your progress, and address barriers with effective strategies. Gain practical tools to support student mental health effectively.
Intended audience is for this course is district-level administrators, school administrators, school-based behavioral health professionals, school health service program managers, and school health service providers.
- 75 mins
- 45 minutes
This action guide was designed for school administrators in kindergarten through 12th grade schools (K-12), including principals and leaders of school-based student support teams, to identify evidence-based strategies, approaches, and practices that can positively influence students’ mental health. This action guide is based on research about school-based comprehensive mental health promotion programming and intervention services that contribute to improved student mental health. It was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health and RTI International.
Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools: An Action Guide for School and District Leaders
Screening is part of a collection of resources developed by the National Center for School Mental Health. The Quality Guides provide information to help school mental health systems advance the quality of their services and supports. This guide contains background information on school mental health screening, best practices, possible action steps, examples from the field, and resources.
- 20 minutes
A school mental health team is a group of school and community stakeholders at the school-or district-level that meets regularly, uses data-based decision making, and relies on action planning to support student mental health. This guide contains background information on teaming, best practices, possible action steps, examples from the field, and resources.
- 20 minutes
- 20 minutes
Read about how the Sacramento County Office of Education connect with students, families and school staff by providing mental health supports on campus. They work with the school community to reduce barriers and stigma regarding mental health issues and to increase access to care for students and families. The purpose of a Coordination of Services Team (COST) is to provide students equitable access to education by coordinating school-wide efforts to ensure that the overall system of support works together effectively. COST area of focus takes a holistic approach and includes academic, behavioral, attendance, social-emotional, mental health, and overall wellness.
Centers of Wellness – example of mental health teaming
- 4 minutes
Universal screening has improved the physical outcomes for millions of children who get routine dental and eye exams at their school buildings each year. Screening for mental health issues in schools has become a topic of discussion for many district leaders. Will the benefits of identifying students most at-risk of physical health problems translate when those difficulties are in the mental health realm? The answer is complicated. Read this article to learn more.
- 30 minutes
Illinois State Board of Education developed a strategic approach in 2023, which was supported by the release of a Readiness Tool to understand school districts’ capacity to implement universal mental health screening of all students in Illinois. The report is the next step to guide a phased approach to universal mental health screening of all K-12 students enrolled in Illinois school districts. Find the Landscape Scan on Mental Health Screening Practices report, Readiness Tool and School Screening Readiness report on ISBE’s website.
- 5 minutes
This document lays out what a possible timeline could look like for the Universal Screening process and who might need to be involved with each step. Considerations are made for professional development and communication necessary for the transparent delivery of a Universal Screener that key collaborators support and the results in more youth being supported by appropriate interventions.
- 10 minutes
Check out these sites for lots of professional learning and associated information about universal social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening and tools. Find assessment and intervention resources for school mental health professionals, as well as research and guides to back up this work.
- 2 hours
Classroom WISE – Well-Being Information & Strategies for Educators – is a free 3-part training package that assists K-12 educators and school staff in supporting the mental health of students in the classroom. Developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, this package offers evidence-based strategies and skills to engage and support students experiencing adversity and distress. In addition to a free online course on mental health literacy for educators and school staff, a video library and resource collection are also available.
Download a MHL toolkit for youth to help young people who want to make a difference in mental health. The toolkit was created with real youth voices and lived experiences. Participants gain knowledge, tools, and encouragement to be advocates for mental wellness in their lives and communities and learn the core framework of mental health literacy. MHLC also offers live workshops.
Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is a critical piece of education and a proactive solution to the current mental health crisis. MHL includes four core components: understanding how to foster & maintain positive mental health; understanding common mental health disorders, signs & symptoms, and treatments; understanding how to seek help effectively; and understanding stigma and strategies for stigma reduction.
Click here to download a copy of the toolkit.
- 30 minutes
Whenever possible, community suicide prevention efforts should begin with a strategic planning effort that assesses the local context and the available resources to address the problem. Due to the nature of suicidal behaviors, the strategic planning process should result in a comprehensive prevention approach. When the strategic planning process determines that a school-based suicide risk screening program is needed, the recommendations in this guide from SAMHSA should be considered in implementing that screening.
- 20 minutes