Mental Health of Students and Staff

Use the contents of this page to guide your "Reframing" discussions. Refer to the "Mental Health" section of your guidebook.

School Counselors, School Based Social Workers, School Psychologist, Administrator, and other District Wide Personnel

What will the work of mental health support staff look like? What supports are needed? What new roles/responsibilities might be needed or expanded?

What will the work of School Counselors look like under various models?

Face to Face Instruction.
Online Instruction.
Blended Instruction.

Virtual SEL Chart

Padlet: Online resource for individual/group work

Statewide Resources to Support Models

Ohio’s K-12 SEL Standards

Does your district or school implement a Mental Health Response team to support the social and emotional well-being of students and staff?

Who is a part of the team and how often do they meet?
Has your team received appropriate training?
How will the team be utilized?

Project Aware

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Hope Squad

Pearson Behavior Assessments (*- please note qualification level/specialized training for specific assessments)

In order to ensure a strong start to 2020-2021, school systems should attend to the well-being of students and staff. Addressin

How can the role of your School Psychologist support student behavior and mental wellness?

MTSS involvement?
Member of PBIS team/ Mental Health team?
Consider the specialized training School Psychologists have received in mental health and behavior assessment.

NASP & ASCA Guidance for SEL & MH plan

Role of School Psychologists- ODE

In what capacity will the School Counselor support each of these models?

Utilize additional school staff.
Establish a team (MTSS) based approach.
Telehealth.
Partner with outside MH or Community Agencies.

American School Counselor Association

Ohio’s K-12 SEL Standards

What supports and resources are provided for those responsible for the mental wellness of students?

Resources for School Counselors

School Psychology & Mental Health- NASP Resources

Mental Health/Social-Emotional Well-Being Framework- PBIS.org

Assessment Resources for School Based Social Workers

Pearson Behavior Assessments (*- please note qualification level/specialized training for specific assessments)

If a student is in need of Mental Health services that are outside of the scope and sequence of a School Counselor, how will referrals and linkage be made to MH providers.

Does the district have protocol for MH referrals?
Who provides the follow up to students/family?
How will students be identified for services?

Mental Health Screening and Assessment

Referral Pathway for Mental Health- Project AWARE

Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services- Trauma

Pearson Functional Behavioral Assessments

Pearson Behavior Assessments (*- please note qualification level/specialized training for specific assessments)

Will School Counselors/School Psychologists/School Social Workers be provided the opportunity to attend Trauma Informed Care, Social Emotional Learning, PBIS Training on a regular basis to support the needs of all (staff, students, and families)?

Resource for SEL/Academic Lessons

Trauma Sensitive Schools Packet

PBIS Website

The Impact of Trauma on Students

Outside Agencies	How will communications and contracts with outside agencies be shifted? How will we ensure the maintaining of services, assessments, etc.?
What outside agencies are in your area, and can a partnership be created with these local resources? How can we support parents during remote learning time and share information on outside agencies?	School & Community Continuum of Services site Ohio’s Stay at Home Wellness Kit site- support for families in remote learning
Consider how will communications and contracts with outside agencies be shifted and or leveraged?
Consider, have discussions taken place with your local behavioral/mental health agency regarding teleassessment? teletherapy?
Do we have plans in place and have we partnered with families and community agencies to proactively identify, provide, and monitor additional support to students who are struggling socially, emotionally, behaviorally, or academically?	The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Guide to Reopening Schools Leveraging the Power of Social and Emotional Learning
How will we be able to identify students that are struggling? New teachers might not know students and their expressive appearance.	Harvard: Making Caring Common Project (example for remote learning situations) Class check-in survey- Google Form Sample Class check-in survey- Printable pdf

Focus on Equity

Equity in education means that each child has access to relevant and challenging academic experience and educational resources necessary for success. Equity must remain at the forefront of short and long-term goals, responses and supports.

Are you providing individualized supports and services to meet the social, emotional, mental health well-being of ALL students, as students may return to school having experienced traumatic events (e.g. food security, illness or death in the family, job loss, etc.)?

Regularly review data on progress with an eye toward how decisions during the transition impact equity

and outcomes.

SEL Data Reflection Protocol resource:

SEL Data Reflection Protocol – Casel Schoolguide

Investing in Evidence Based Social and Emotional Learning

Rebel Leadership & COVID-19 |

As you consider the question above, how will you provide those supports to the following student populations:

English Learners
Special Education Students
Students without reliable connectivity
Students in Foster Care

Social Emotional Wellness in the home for culturally Diverse Students

Center for Applied Linguistics

Social Emotional Remote Learning

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

Resource Guide for Serving Underserved Populations

Partnerships

Partners represent the collective action needed to support each child and increase the likelihood of student success. Evaluate and elaborate on how the extending and leveraging partnerships can apply to this area.

How can you elevate the voices and perspectives of students, families, educators, and other adults to develop a responsive transition school or district plan?

Use formal and informal ways to identify their hopes and concerns about transition while communicating the school’s desire to incorporate their perspectives into decision-making. For example, provide individual outreach when possible, call or survey students and families, or hold focus groups with staff and key community partners. When reaching out to families and students, use home languages and inclusive strategies for those who have limited access to technology. Also consider alternative ways to reach all families, such as through churches, social service agencies, neighborhood groups, social media, and other community connections. (Source: Leveraging the Power of Social and Emotional Learning)

Quality Schools	The entire school must commit to educating and supporting students so they acquire the knowledge and skills needed for future success. Those working inside and outside of the school should have a shared definition of future success. A shared understanding will help each child reach his or her goal.
Are you regularly assessing (2-3 times per year) the general climate and well-being of the school staff using a survey?	Educator Resilience and Trauma-Informed Self-Care: Self Mental Health, Social-Emotional & Behavioral Screening & Evaluation Compendium-2nd edit. (lengthy, but comprehensive resource) Guidance for Behavior and Mental Health Screening in Schools In order to ensure a strong start to 2020-2021, school systems should attend to the well-being of students and staff. Addressin
Are you prioritizing positive, intentional relationships within the classroom and throughout the school (staff-to-student, staff-to-staff, student-to-student, staff-to-family)?	Overview Build staff-to-student relationships
Are you training administrators and teachers on trauma informed practices, impact of trauma on students, culturally responsive training, de-escalation strategies, and other strategies to support students?	Book study recommendations: Better Than Carrots or Sticks (Smith, Fisher, and Frey) ASCD Book: Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom (Souers and Hall) ASCD Book: Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students(Hammond) Culturally Responsive Teaching & The Brain Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain
Have we planned that all classes (no matter what format) will devote time to building community, reflecting on experiences, and listening to students’ ideas and concerns?	By Request: Building Trusting Relationships for School Improvement: Implications for Principals and Teachers A Supportive Classroom Environment – Casel Schoolguide
Are schools training staff for a Traumatic Event Crisis Intervention? Are current plans in place and have they been adapted for COVID19?	COVID-19 Crisis & Mental Health Resources- NASP

Thank you to the collaborative group who created the discussion questions and contents of this page:
Jill Gilliland – Northwest Ohio ESC
Marie Williams – Columbiana County ESC
Denise Holloway – Trumbull County ESC
Doug Hiscox – Trumbull County ESC
Mark Koontz – Clark County ESC
J.D. Emnett – South Central Ohio ESC
Rachel Glass – Mercer County ESC
Lisa Heid – Miami County ESC