Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs

Programs: Child and Youth Program

Resource Type: Study

Published: 11/21

Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health is a new resource from the U.S. Department of Education to provide information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and the social and emotional well-being among children and students. This resource highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, KΓÇô12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents seven corresponding recommendations. This resource includes many real-world examples of how the recommendations are being put into action by schools, communities, and states across the country.

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Table of Contents

Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs
- Contents
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
  - Mental Health Supports
- Challenges
- 1. Rising Mental Health Needs and Disparities Among Children and Student Groups
  - Early Childhood
  - K?12 Students
  - Young-Adult University and College Students
  - Socio-Economic and Housing Status
  - Race and Ethnicity
  - English Learner (EL) or Immigration Status
  - LGBTQI+ Status
  - Religion
  - Disability
- 2. Perceived Stigma as a Barrier to Accessing Services Even When Available
- 3. Ineffective Implementation of Practices
- 4. Fragmented Delivery Systems
- 5. Policy and Funding Gaps
- 6. Gaps in Professional Development and Support
- 7. Lack of Access to Usable Data to Guide Implementation Decisions
- Recommendations
  - 1. Prioritize Wellness for Each and Every Child, Student, Educator, and Provider
    - Action Steps for State, District, School, and Program Leaders
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 2. Enhance Mental Health Literacy and Reduce Stigma and Other Barriers to Access
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 3. Implement a Continuum of Evidence-Based Prevention Practices
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 4. Establish an Integrated Framework of Educational, Social, Emotional, and Behavioral-Health Support for All
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 5. Leverage Policy and Funding
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 6. Enhance Workforce Capacity
    - Action Steps for Educators
  - 7. Use Data for Decision Making to Promote Equitable Implementation and Outcomes
    - Action Steps for Leaders and Educators
  - Summary and State Spotlight
- References
- APPENDIX A. Implementation Examples by Recommendation
  - 1. Prioritize Wellness for Each and Every Child, Student, Educator, and Provider
    - Mental Health For ALL: Strengthening Community Partnerships
    - Early Intervention is Key
    - Promotion of Student Well-Being Through Shared Learning and Enhanced Prevention Efforts
    - Leveraging the MTSS Framework to Support Wellness
    - Supporting Families of Preschool Children with IEPs
    - Community-Driven Design
    - Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Pyramid Model and the Provision of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
    - Cross-System Learning
    - Supporting Mental Health in Higher Education
- 2. Enhance Mental Health Literacy and Reduce Stigma and Other Barriers to Access
  - Increasing Mental Health Literacy and Reducing Stigma with Student-Led Campaign
  - Supporting Military Families
  - Mental Health Professionals Supporting Educators and Caregivers
  - Promoting Young Children?s Social-Emotional Development to Address Undesirable Behaviors
  - Early Intervention with Social-Emotional Screening
  - College Mental Wellness Ambassadors
- 3. Implement a Continuum of Evidence-Based Prevention Practices
  - Transforming the System Requires Educating Staff AND Providing Ongoing Support for Implementation
  - Statewide Wellness Initiative
  - Rooted in Relationships
  - Supporting University Students at Home
- 4. Establish an Integrated Framework of Educational, Social, Emotional, and Behavioral-Health Support for All
  - Building an Interconnected Systems Framework
  - Addressing Toxic Stress
  - Creating a Single System of Delivery
  - Using Implementation Science to Build State Capacity for Implementation of the Pyramid Model in North Carolina, Connecticut, and New York
  - Embedding SEL and Trauma into Existing Framework
  - Providing Screening and Treatment to All Incoming University Students
- 5. Leverage Policy and Funding
  - Statewide Integration Through Legislation
  - Funding to Increase School Mental Health Providers and School Nurses
  - Leveraging Funding with Youth Voice and Decision Making
  - Removing the Funding Barrier
  - Flexible Funding
  - Using Data and Cost Analyses to Study the Impact of the Pyramid Model
  - Aligning State Grants and Initiatives
- 6. Enhance Workforce Capacity
  - Using the Pyramid Model in Minnesota and Wisconsin
  - Virginia Partnership for School Mental Health
  - School Behavioral Health Community of Practice
  - Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Released Creating Equitable School Systems: A Roadmap for Education Leaders that Addressed Supporting Social and Emotional Wellness for Staff and Students
  - Increased Funding to Expand the Workforce in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee
  - Screening in Early Childhood and Statewide Social-Emotional Learning Competencies
  - Personnel Standards for Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists
  - Developing University Telehealth Services
- 7. Use Data for Decision Making toPromote EquitableImplementation and Outcomes
  - Listening and Learning from the Community
  - Preparing the System for Screening
  - Including Students in Decision Making
  - Engaging Students with Information
  - Connecting Pre-K Students to Additional Supports
  - What is Your Call to Action?
  - Using the PBS Pyramid Model in Classrooms
- APPENDIX B. Federal Technical Assistance Centers Related to Social- Emotional and Mental Health
  - Comprehensive Center Network (CCNetwork)
  - Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety (CISELSS)
  - Center of Excellence on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CoE for IECMHC)
  - National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC)
  - National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE)
  - National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (NCECDTL)
  - National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety (NCHBHS)
  - National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)
  - National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (NCPFCE)
  - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI)
  - National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
  - The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH)
  - National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC)
  - National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
- APPENDIX C. Technical Assistance Resources Related to Social, Emotional and Mental Health
  - Assessment
  - Early Childhood
  - Families
  - Mental Health
  - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
  - School Climate
  - Social-Emotional Learning
  - Supporting and Responding to Behavior
  - Teachers and Providers
  - Trauma
  - Technical Assistance
- APPENDIX D. Guidance on Existing Programs That Can Support Social- Emotional and Mental Health Services for Students
  - American Rescue Plan (ARP)
    - American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund
    - The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III)
    - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) American Rescue Plan Funds
  - Elementary and Secondary Education Act?Programs Supporting Mental Health Services
    - Title IV, Part A of the ESEA?SSAE Program
    - SSNA Programs
  - Summary of Federal Disability Laws
  - How and Which Children and Students with Disabilities Can Receive Services Under IDEA and Section 504
  - Mental Health Services
  - Application of Section 504 to Institutions of Higher Education

MCC System Maintenance

Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs