In addition to the types of data, remember to look for baseline data before you start your intervention so that you can determine if you are making progress on your goals. As you identify your sources of data, calendar when you will be collecting this information so that it stays at the center of your attention and becomes part of your team’s collaboration time. As school years pass, this information will become more meaningful and valuable with time.

To date, the district has used multiple assessments to evaluate the success of its programs. Data from an online platform named SHAPE and from Panorama Surveys, AERIES student information system and other internal data-collection sources have all been utilized. The district is still reviewing its sources of data information and recognizes the importance of standardization to ensure that it is accurate and reliable.

Integrate your mental wellness program into your multi-tiered systems of support As Val Verde worked to put its student mental wellness support program in place, an emphasis was placed on a systems approach. The student mental wellness program would integrate into the district’s overall Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. The district had already begun its work with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports as a framework used to support students’ academic, behavioral and mental health. When used with fidelity, PBIS helps create a learning environment in which students and teachers can thrive.

In Val Verde, Tier 1 mental health supports focus on mental wellness for all students and serve as the building blocks for Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports. Social work interns are mostly responsible for Tier 1 mental health interventions which include morning check-ins, school-wide mental health education lessons and classroom-based social-emotional learning for all students. Classroom lessons range from general topics such as “how to be a buddy, not a bully,” to more serious topics such as “how to help a friend who is experiencing depression or feeling suicidal.” Tier 1 interventions aid in creating a positive school climate, teaching mental health literacy and increasing social-emotional learning. Tier 1 interventions are available to all students and can also be implemented by teachers, counselors and administrators.

In response to the district’s need to decrease disproportionate discipline, and to provide additional Tier 2 supports, Val Verde hired 14 additional therapists at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. The therapists received specialized training in restorative practices and provide early interventions and support for students who have been identified as at-risk due to problems such as truancy; peer conflict; substance use; and lower levels of depression and anxiety.

Tier 2 interventions include proactive circles, restorative conferences, substance abuse education, anger management and self-esteem groups. The Tier 2 therapists also provide professional development for staff, assist with check-in/check-out and collaborate with the PBIS teams on their campuses to ensure fidelity with tiered interventions. When necessary, the Tier 2 therapists provide crisis management services and assist with making referrals to Tier 3 mental health services.

Students who are experiencing significant distress and impairment in their social or academic functioning are eligible for Tier 3 mental health services. Individuals receiving Tier 3 services benefit from a variety of interventions including individual, group and family counseling. To identify their behavioral health needs, students undergo an Educationally Related Mental Health Services assessment. Therapists use information from the assessment, along with feedback from students, parents and school staff to determine the specific interventions that will be used with each student. The frequency and duration of appointments are as varied as the student’s receiving services, as each treatment plan is individually developed to meet the specific mental health needs of each student.

Onboarding new therapists and training them in an evidenced-based practice, developing and implementing a new program and incorporating them into an existing team of mental health professionals can be a challenge. To ensure fidelity with implementation, documentation and consistency of services, mental wellness staff participate in weekly team meetings. They use this time to provide feedback about challenges at each of their sites and to share the successes they have been experiencing with students. The weekly meetings also help to build camaraderie amongst the new staff and allow the team an opportunity to continue to make modifications as they design the new program. The process has been exciting, despite it being a challenging time for all staff supporting our students.

The need to provide the team with an opportunity for their own self-care became quite evident. To provide staff with an opportunity to address their own wellness and to help strengthen additional cohesion amongst newly hired therapists, the district sponsored a two-day planning and reflection time for all mental health therapists. They were provided breakfast and lunch on both days; participated in yoga and nature hikes; and interacted with one another during a series of team-building exercises. The time together far exceeded the expectations of the administrators. At the end of the second day, tears were shed, relationships were strengthened and the entire staff walked away as one solid team.

Another challenge to increased mental health services has been finding adequate, confidential space for therapists to meet with students. As with many districts, schools are already challenged with finding space for teachers, counselors and administrators. An increase in mental health staff provided a challenge for school administrators, as well as therapists who were seeking space free from intrusions. The district has made room for more spaces and constructed new offices to meet the needs of its internal and external stakeholders. The expansion has provided an opportunity for several schools to capitalize on the addition of a wellness center which, in many cases, is housed within the same space as the offices for the Tier 2 therapists. The wellness centers offer a calm, safe space for students and staff to decompress if they are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or simply having a challenging day. The wellness centers also offer specialized groups, school-based and community resources and opportunities for mindfulness activities.

As the district’s MTSS continues to grow, redefining roles and responsibilities has been critical. We have learned that sometimes adding too many resources results in mild chaos, with stakeholders being unclear about who is responsible for a particular intervention, or even how to refer a student for needed services. At the onset, some students experienced a duplication of services because initially, the district did not have a clear coordination of services that integrated the work of both internal and external partners. The district has utilized administrative meetings as well as multi-departmental collaborations and professional development time to answer questions and clarify roles. These meetings have proved to be beneficial for all parties, as it has helped to clearly define which students are being targeted for services; how often services will be provided; and better utilization of resources.

Forming a systemic approach can be challenging. It is important that during the creation and implementation of your own system to share information on the successes with your board of education, school sites and community. In Val Verde, we provide weekly updates to our board on the utilization of services, provide presentations to our community, and celebrate when we get acknowledged for our efforts. Some of this acknowledgement takes the form of presentations at conferences, being mentioned in articles, and being acknowledged for state recognitions, such as the California Department of Education Pivotal Practices Award and the California PBIS Coalition Award. All these things provide feedback on goals, acknowledgement of services and motivation to continue the work.

Although the implementation of restorative practices is still new to the district, the data show great promise. Early numbers indicate that suspensions and expulsions in the district are trending downward, which is exactly what the district had hoped for. The suspension rate for African American students dipped from a high of 10.7 percent in the 2018-2019 school year to a low of 7.3 percent in the 2021-2022 academic year. The district is optimistic about the trends and each week shares its data with the school board. This fall, a team of supervisors and directors will present what the district has learned and share its outcomes at the Student Mental Wellness Conference in San Diego.

In time, Val Verde will be able to determine if its investment in mental health services as part of its MTSS has paid off. Improved and increased data collection will unveil the benefits, if any, of mental health interventions on the academic performance of its students. In the meantime, efforts to provide culturally responsive interventions to serve all students will continue at every level — from the district to the classroom.

Abramson, A. (2022, January 1). Children’s mental health is in crisis: As pandemic stressors continue, kids’ mental health needs to be addressed in schools. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-childrens-mental-health#:~:text=As%20the%20United%20States%20approaches,facing%20a%20mental%20health%20crisis.

Brownstein, J. (2009, October 5). Childhood trauma may shorten life by 20 years. ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/cdc-study-childhood-trauma-shorten-life-20-years/story?id=8758968#:~:text=Researchers%20say%20study%20shows%20childhood%20trauma%20is%20a%20lifelong%20battle.&text=Oct.,average%2C%20almost%2020%20years%20shorter.

California Department of Education: Definition of Multi-Tiered System of Support: Retrieved from: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/ri/mtsscomprti2.asp

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, April 19). Children’s mental health: Improving Children’s Behavioral Health. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/features/child-mental-health.html

Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. (n.d.). Cultural competence in healthcare. Is it important for people with chronic conditions? https://hpi.georgetown.edu/cultural/. Retrieved 8/20/22.

International Institute for Restorative Practices. (n.d.). https://www.iirp.edu/

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.) Mental health in schools. Where we stand. https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Policy-Priorities/Improving-Health/Mental-Health-in-Schools Retrieved 8/20/22.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. (n.d.) What is PBIS https://www.pbis.org/pbis/what-is-pbis. Retrieved 8/20/22.

Whitney, D.G. & Peterson, M.D. (2019, February 11). US national and state-level prevalence of mental health disorders and disparities of mental health care use in children. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 173(4):389-391. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2724377