Best_Field_Presentation
- 1. A School Social Work Perspective Jerry Best, MSW Candidate University of Missouri SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH
- 2. MENTAL HEALTH • “How a person thinks, feels, and acts when faced with life’s situations… This includes handling stress, relating to other people, and making decisions.” – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) • “A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities and can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” – World Health Organization (WHO) • “Mentally healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to experience a range of emotions in appropriate and constructive ways; possess self-esteem and a respect for others; and harbor a deep sense of security and trust in themselves and the world. Mentally healthy children and adolescents are able to function in developmentally appropriate ways in the contexts of self, family, peers, school and community… Mentally healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to initiate and maintain meaningful relationships and learn to function productively…” – National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
- 3. THE SCHOOL POPULATION “The problems experienced by most youngsters are psychosocial (i.e. stem from socio- cultural and economic factors) not psychopathological and often can be countered through promotion and prevention.” – Center for Mental Health in Schools (CMHS) “Students with untreated mental health issues may develop more significant problems which can greatly impact their educational experience and result in poor educational outcomes.” – School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA)
- 4. • 20-33% of children and adolescents at any given time are experiencing mental health issues that would qualify for a mental health diagnosis • Effects • Low self-esteem • Low self-efficacy • Low distress tolerance • Problems relating to social environment • Decreased engagement in the learning process • Attendance and truancy issues • Disruptive and problematic behaviors • Low school performance and achievement MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDENTS Student Mental Health Mentally Healhty Diagnosed Diagnosable
- 5. PREVALENCE Mental Health Diagnosis Lifetime Prevalence among 18 year-olds (%) Prevalence of Severe Impairment (%) Mood Disorders 14.6% 11.2% Anxiety Disorders 31.9% 8.3% Behavior Disorders 19.6% 9.6% Substance Use Disorders 11.4% Any Disorder 49.5% 27.6%
- 6. THE SCHOOL SETTING “Schools are where children spend most of each day. While schools are primarily concerned with education, mental health is essential to learning as well as to social and emotional development.” – President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
- 7. • School System • Focused on educational outcomes • Key stakeholder in community- based services for children and families • Mental Health System • Difficult to access • Social stigma • Student/Family Systems • Doing their best • Unmet needs SYSTEMIC FRAMEWORK Students with Mental Health and/or Psychosocial Problems Not Receiving Services Receiving Services School-Based Other
- 8. THE PROBLEM Unmet Needs (Psychosocial) Mental Health Issue Low Educational Outcomes Low Grades/Test Scores Low Funding
- 9. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH “School systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students. But when the need directly affects learning, the school must meet the challenge.” – Carnegie Council Task Force on Education of Young Adolescents “Good emotional and behavioral health… leads to achievement of full academic potential.” – CMHS “The foundation of the Monroe City R-1 School District’s philosophy is to provide a quality education for all students.”
- 10. RANGE OF LEARNERS • Motivated to learn • Able to engage • Obtained prerequisite knowledge and skills Group I • Less motivated to learn • Lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills • Different learning rates and styles • Minor vulnerabilities and psychosocial stressors • May internalize negative experiences compounding stressors related to learning Group II • Avoidant • Deficient in current capabilities • May have a disability or diagnosis • May have health impairmnets Group III
- 11. ADDRESSING LEARNING BARRIERS Learning Groups (Student Population) Identify students with learning barriers Remove or Mitigate Barriers to Learning (Skill Development; Counseling & Case Management; Behavior Plan; etc.) Classroom Teaching; Practice Activities; Homework; Enrichment Activities Engagement & Participation; High Achievement; Skill Mastery; Graduation; Employment; College Enrollment Desired Outcome Instructional Component No BarriersNo BarriersGroup I Enabling Component Barriers to Learning Group II Group III
- 12. • Universal Screening • Universal Prevention Programming • Early Intervention Programs • Multitier Support System • Response to Intervention • Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports • Social-Emotional Learning • Case Management and Coordination • Individual and Group Counseling • Address psychosocial issues • Remove/reduce educational barriers • Ensure save and positive learning environment • Address behavioral problems • Decrease student behavioral referrals • Increase student attendance and engagement • Increase student achievement and success GOALS AND STRATEGIES Goals Strategies
- 13. School System School- Based Mental Health Family System • Professional Development • Identifying and addressing learning and developmental barriers • Consultation and Support • Reduced frustration and burnout • Increased satisfaction and retention • Addressing Systemic Issues • Student discipline • Bullying and harassment • Addressing other unmet needs SYSTEMIC EFFECTS
- 14. A SOCIAL WORKER’S PLACE IN THE SCHOOL “School social workers are trained mental health professionals with a degree in social work who provide services related to a person’s social, emotional, and life adjustment to school and/or society. School social workers are the link between home, school, and community in providing direct as well as indirect services to students, families, and school personnel to promote and support students’ academic and social success.” - SSWAA
- 15. • Incorporating social and environmental contexts to assess individual needs and strengths • Promoting sustainability of treatment outcomes • Examining systems that may be supportive or dysfunctional • Assessing client’s relationship with environment • Understanding social and environmental effects on functioning and behavior • Developing therapeutic relationships • Creating treatment plans based on client strengths • Promoting sustainability of treatment outcomes • Empowering clients by developing strengths and skills PERSPECTIVES AND TRAINING Strengths Perspective Social Ecological Perspective
- 16. ROLES AND SERVICES Student Services • Performing mental health assessments • Developing social or developmental history • Developing intervention strategies to increase academic engagement and success • Providing counseling (individual, group, family) • Providing crisis intervention • Assisting with conflict resolution and behavior management • Facilitating social-emotional learning and development • Assisting children develop healthy self-concept and world view Parent/Family Services • Interviewing Families to assess problems affecting the child's educational adjustment • Facilitating parental engagement and support in the child's school adjustment • Addressing psychosocial learning barriers related to a child's living situation that affect functioning at school • Connecting parents/families with school and community resources School Personnel Services • Developing and facilitating postive behavior intervention supports • Providing staff with essential information to better under stand psychosocial factors (culture, societal, economic, familial, health, etc.) affecting a student's performance and behavior • Developing professional development presentations related to mental/behavioral health • Provide direct support to staff • Provide consultation • Assist in developing and implementing educational programs for exceptional children
- 18. MULTITIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT (MTSS) • System of Care: • Individualized, long-term intervetnion • Special Education Services • Referral and Coordination of Care • Long-term therapy • Juvenile Office • Hospitalization Tier 3 (5%) • System of Early Intervention • Selective and Indicated Interventions • Short-term Counseling • Behavior Plan and Support • Family Support • Monitoring Health Problems • Learning/Behavior Accomodations (RtI) Tier 2 (15- 20%) • System of Prevention • Universal Screening • Universal Interventions • Health Education • Social-Emotional Learning • Recreation • Enrichment • Conflict Resolution Tier 1
- 19. FUNDING SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICES School Social Work Special Education Funds Insurance Billing Grants
- 20. • Absenteeism and Truancy • Behavioral Incidents • Disciplinary Referrals • Drop-Out Rate • Emotional Distress • Bullying • Violence • Academic Success (Grades) • Standardized Test Scores • School Attendance • Parent- and Teacher-Reported Academic Performance • Social and Emotional Skills • Attitudes about School and Learning • Academic Engagement • Academic Motivation OUTCOMES Increased or Improved Decreased