Title: Our Children Can’t Wait — Improving Services for Children and Adolescents with Mental Illness: Mental Health and Education Systems Working Together
1Addressing Mental Health Barriers to Learning
Through Educator-Initiated Programs
Carl E. Paternite, Ph.D. Center for School-Based
Mental Health Programs Department of
Psychology Miami University (Ohio) http//www.unit
s.muohio.edu/csbmhp Presented at the 7th
National Conference on Advancing School-Based
Mental Health Programs, Philadelphia,
PA, September 21st, 2002
2Addressing Mental Health Barriers to Learning
Through Educator-Initiated Programs
- Instructional Objectives For Presentation
- Offer a "case study" of program development.
- Increase participant awareness of the importance
of - educators in school-based mental health
programming. - Increase participant knowledge of effective
approaches to - enhance educator mental health professional
collaboration. - Increase knowledge of ways to infuse "mental
health - education" into the school milieu.
3Addressing Mental Health Barriers to Learning
Through Educator-Initiated Programs
- Themes Addressed in Presentation
- Program development.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and partnership.
- Prevention.
- Research, training and education.
4Mental Health Needs of Youth and Available
Services
- 20-38 of children and adolescents need mental
health intervention. - One-sixth to one-third of these youth actually
receive any service, and, of those who do, less
than half receive adequate treatment. - For the small percentage of youth who do receive
service, most actually receive it within a school
setting. - These realities raise questions about the mental
health fields over-reliance on clinic-based
treatment, and have reinforced the importance of
alternative models for mental health service
especially expanded school-based programs.
5Expanded School-Based Mental Health Programs
- National movement to place effective mental
health programs in schools. - To promote the academic, behavioral, social,
emotional, and contextual/systems well-being of
youth, and to reduce mental health barriers to
school success. - Programs incorporate primary prevention and
mental health promotion, secondary prevention,
and intensive intervention. - Intent is to contribute to building capacity for
a comprehensive, multifaceted, and integrated
system of support and care.
6Potential of Schools as Key Points of Engagement
- Opportunities to engage youth where they are.
- Unique opportunities for intensive, multifaceted
approaches and are essential contexts for
prevention and research activity.
7Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
(at Miami University)
- Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success
- Six affiliate organizations working together in
regional and state-wide activities. - Butler County School-Based Mental Health Program
- School-based mental health promotion, prevention,
intervention, and applied research activities. - Addressing Barriers to Learning Program
- Annual conferences to initiate and sustain local,
school-based projects that reduce mental health
barriers to learning and enhance the development
of healthy school communities.
8Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
(at Miami University)
- Behavioral Health Advisor
- Mental health newsletter for elementary and
secondary school educators, focusing on issues
related to child mental health and school
success. - Evaluation of Alternative Education/ Discipline
Programs - Ongoing formative evaluation of 11 alternative
programs in Butler County,OH. - Partnerships for Success Academy (with the Ohio
State University Center for Learning Excellence) - Technical assistance to 15 counties engaged in
efforts to build capacity to prevent and respond
effectively to youth problem behaviors while
promoting positive development.
9Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
(at Miami University)Funding
- Butler County Mental Health Board
- The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati
- Ohio Department of Mental Health
- The Center for Learning Excellence
- Butler County Family and Children First Council
- Talawanda School District
- Miami University cost sharing
10School-Based Mental Health Partnerships Many
individuals have been instrumental to our
school-based mental health partnerships since
1998. To name just a few University-Based (3
universities, 5 academic divisions, 6
departments) Faculty/Staff Carl E. Paternite,
Karen Schilling, Julie Rubin, Denise Fox-Barber,
Amy Wilms, Betty Yung, David Andrews, Al Neff,
Diana Leigh, Alex Thomas, Randy Flora, Doris
Bergen, Valerie A. Ubbes, Raymond Witte, Joan
Fopma-Loy Psychology interns and graduate
assistants Lynne Knobloch, Becky Hutchison,
Sally Phillips, Leslie Baer, Linda Gal, Derek
Oliver, Mike Imhoff, Julie Cathey, Liz Morey,
Chris Dyszelski, Chris Mauro, Nancy Pike, Jessica
Donn, Sandra Kirchner, LaTasha Mack, Ann-Marie
Bixler, Jari Santana-Wynn, Jeanene Robinson,
Gloria Oliver, Francesca Dalumpines, Jamie
Williamson, Jill Thomas, Jennifer Malinosky,
Jason Kibby, Julia Pemberton, Ann Marie Lundberg,
Marc McLaughlin, Robin Graff-Reed
Community-Based John Staup, Kay Rietz,
Saundra Jenkins, Barbara Perez, Susan Smith,
Valerie Robinson, Jolynn Hurwitz, Kate Keller,
Terri Johnston, Charlie Johnston, Kathy Oberlin,
Ellen Anderson, Noelle Duval, Linda Maxwell, Greg
Foster, Teresa Jullian-Goebel, Suzanne Robinson,
Terre Garner, Bryan Brown, Greg Rausch, Carolyn
Jones, David Turner School-Based Teacher
consultants Sherie Davis, Marilyn Elzey, Tom
Orlow, Teresa Abrams, Sarah Buck, Jim Carter,
Julie Churchman, Amy Gibson, Joy Boyle, Chris
Carroll, Mary Hessling, Joan Parks, Joanne
Williamson, Jaimie Pribble, Pam Termeer, Pat
Stephens, Patricia Scholl, Martha Slamer, David
Wood, Susan Meyer, Monna Even, Ginny Paternite,
Connie Short, Terri Hoffmann, Karen Shearer
Guidance counselors, school psychologists,
school nurses, and administrators Marianne
Marconi, Sandy Greenberg, Tom OReilly, Roberta
Perlin, Betsy Esber, MaryBeth Bergeron, Greg
Rausch, Ann Schmitt, Alice Bonar, Stephanie
Johnson, Marcia Schlichter, Susan Cobb, Phil
Cagwin, Bob Bierly, Martha Angello, Bill Miller,
Bob Phelps, Dan Milz, Dave Isaacs, Mark Mortine,
Rhonda Bohannon, Clint Moore, Cathy Keener, Mary
Jane Roberts, Jean Eagle, Alice Eby, Kathy
Jonas, David Greenburg, Candice McIntosh, Sharon
Lytle, Terri Fitton, Steve Swankhaus, Melissa
Kessler, Mary Jacobs .. Action-Project Teams
Fourteen 2-4 person teams from ten schools in
five school districts, each with a university
faculty/graduate student liaison.
11- Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
(at Miami University) - Overarching Goals
- Build collaborative university-school district
relationships to - address the mental health needs of children
and adolescents - through multifaceted programming.
- Promote mental health and school success for
youth through - Primary prevention and mental health education
- Early direct intervention for identified at-risk
children - and adolescents, and treatment for those with
severe/ - chronic mental health problems
- Action research, training, and consultation
12The Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success
- Mission
- To help Ohios school districts, community-based
agencies, and families work together to achieve
improved educational and developmental outcomes
for all children especially those at emotional
or behavioral risk and those with mental health
problems, including pupils participating in
alternative education programs.
13The Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success
- Action Agenda
- Create awareness about the gap between childrens
mental health needs and treatment resources,
and encourage improved and expanded services. - Encourage mental health agencies and school
districts to adopt mission statements that
address the importance of partnerships. - Conduct surveys of mental health agencies and
school districts to better define the mental
health needs of children and to gather
information about promising practices.
14The Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success
- Action Agenda (continued)
- Provide technical assistance to mental health
agencies and school districts, to support
adoption of evidence-based and promising
practices, including improvement and expansion of
school-based mental health services. - Develop a guide for education and mental health
professionals and families, for the development
of productive partnerships. - Assist in identification of sources of financial
support for school-based mental health
initiatives. - Assist university-based professional preparation
programs in psychology, social work, public
health, and education, in developing
inter-professional strategies and practices for
addressing the mental health needs of school-age
children.
15Educators as Key Members of the Mental Health
Team
- Schools should not be held responsible for
meeting every need of every student. - However, schools must meet the challenge when the
need directly affects learning and school
success. (Carnegie Council Task Force on
Education of Young Adolescents, 1989) - There is clear and compelling evidence that there
are strong positive associations between mental
health and school success.
16Educators as Key Members of the Mental Health Team
- Children whose emotional, behavioral, or social
difficulties are not addressed have a diminished
capacity to learn and benefit from the school
environment. In addition, children who develop
disruptive behavior patterns can have a negative
influence on the social and academic environment
for other children. (Rones Hoagwood, 2000,
p.236) - Contemporary school reformand the associated
high-stakes testing (including recently signed
federal legislation)has not incorporated the
Carnegie Council imperative. That is, recent
reform has not adequately incorporated a focus on
addressing barriers to development, learning, and
teaching.
17Common Messages Across Initiatives
- It is important to build on the common goals of
expanded school-based mental health programs and
existing community and school initiatives. For
example, in Ohio - Comprehensive Strategy
- Partnerships for Success
- Alternative Education Challenge Grant Program
- All share a common core focus on barriers to
development, learning, and teaching. - Identification of the common message across
initiatives is extremely important for reducing
the chances that what is being introduced by any
one initiative will be marginalized by proponents
of narrowly-focused school reform.
18Creating and Maintaining Ongoing, Empowering
Dialogue with Educators
- Multi-level, formal and informal dialogue with
policy makers, formulators, enforcers, and
implementers. - Programs for school board members and
administrators. - Newsletter for teachers.
- Website resources.
- Extensive contact time with educators in their
school buildings. - Joining the school community.
- Key opinion leaders.
19Assessing and Responding To Educator-Identified
Needs and Concerns
- Careful, detailed, local needs assessments from
the perspective of educators, and a commitment to
be responsive to identified needs. - Results used in advocacy efforts and as
guideposts for ongoing work.
20Prioritizing Promotion of Healthy Development and
Problem Prevention
- School-based models should capitalize on schools
unique opportunities to provide mental
health-promoting activities. - Recommended strategies for violence and drop-out
prevention, including those for which the central
role of educators is evident, can be promoted
actively within an expanded school-based mental
health program.
21Prioritizing Promotion of Healthy Development and
Problem Prevention
- For violence prevention, these include
- Structured social skill development programs.
- Mentoring.
- Programs that foster school engagement,
participation, and bonding. - Promotion of developmental assets.
- A variety of approaches that engage parents and
families.
22Prioritizing Promotion of Healthy Development and
Problem Prevention
- For drop-out prevention, these include
- Early intervention.
- Mentoring and tutoring.
- Service learning.
- Conflict resolution and violence prevention
curricula and training for students/staff. - Alternative schooling.
23Teacher Consultants
- Teacher consultants develop and implement special
projects - related to school-based mental health
enhancement. - Teacher consultants serve as liaisons to the
schools in efforts to promote school-based
mental health programming. - Teacher consultants serve as informal
advisers/mentors to - school staff on matters related to
social-emotional adjustment and learning needs of
children and school/climate issues.
24Incentives For Teacher Consultants
- Leadership opportunity
- Training opportunity
- Academic credit
- Stipends (supplemental contracts)
- Empowerment
- Demystification
25- Addressing Barriers to Learning Annual
Conference and Action Projects Program - Goal
- Conduct annual conferences, to help initiate
planned - local public school-based projects that
reduce mental - health-related barriers to learning and
enhance the
26- Objectives of Addressing Barriers to Learning
Program - Demonstrate, produce and assess school-based
mental - health practices (classroom-based,
classroom-linked) - that address barriers to desired academic
outcomes - and personal and social skill development.
- Put into continuing practice that which
participants learn - in conference activities and projects.
- Increase the effectiveness of school district
- collaboration and system support for
school-based - mental health practices.
- Disseminate findings.
27- Resources for Addressing Barriers to Learning
Program - Researchers and practitioners whose work on the
- conference theme evidences quality and the
potential for - successful application locally.
- Web-site support.
- Resource packets.
- Small grants to support action projects.
- Ongoing consultation with action teams with
graduate - students/faculty.
28- Conference Themes for Addressing Barriers to
Learning Program - 2000 Nonviolent Schools Building Programs
That Work - Consultants Betty Yung and
Jeremy Shapiro - 2001 School, Family, and Community
Partnerships - Consultants Marc Atkins and
Scott Rankin - 2002 School, Family, and Community
Partnerships - Consultants Program faculty
29- Addressing Barriers To Learning
- School, Family, and Community Partnerships
- Second Annual Conference
- March 22 24, 2001
- Marcum Conference Center
- Miami University
- Oxford, Ohio
- Institute for Educational Renewal Based
- At Miami University
- Miami University Center for
Addressing Barriers To Learning School, Family,
and Community Partnerships Conference Advisory
Committee Randy Flora Institute for
Educational Renewal, MU Joan Fopma-Loy
Department of Nursing, MU Susan Mosley-Howard
Associate Dean, EAP, MU Carl E. Paternite
Department of Psychology, MU Roberta Perlin
Talawanda City Schools Alex Thomas Dept. of
Educational Psychology, MU Valerie Ubbes
Dept. of Physical Education, MU Raymond Witte
Dept. of Educational Psychology,
MU Evaluator Doris Bergen Dept. of
Educational Psychology, MU Contacts Randy
Flora floravr_at_muohio.edu (513)529-6926 203
McGuffey Hall Oxford, OH 45056 Carl E.
paternce_at_muohio.edu (513)529-2416 Paternite Dept.
of Psychology, Benton Hall Oxford, OH
45056 Many thanks to the members of the
Conference Advisory Committee for your time and
effort. Additional thanks to our funding
providers, The Graduate School of Miami
University and the Butler County Mental Health
Board, for their support.
30Thursday, March 22, 2001500 p.m.- 840
p.m.PROGRAM
Saturday, March 24, 2001 745 a.m. 400
p.m. PROGRAM 745 Continental Breakfast 815 Set
ting the Focus on Todays Work Carl E.
Paternite 830 Conversation with
Consultants . A. Research-based Strategies
Addressing Barriers to Learning in School
Communities - Marc Atkins B. Empowering
Families and Engaging Community Agencies for
Healthy, Achieving Children - Scott
Rankin 915 Break 930 Conversation with
Consultants Continued 1015 Break 1030 Consulta
nts Synthesis From Morning Session Marc Atkins
and Scott Rankin 1045 Team Work with Technical
Assistance Clarifying Goals, Objectives, and
Strategies for School Projects 1145 Lunch 12
45 Review and Refocus Marc Atkins and Scott
Rankin 130 Team Work with Technical Assistance
Refining Project Strategies and Resource Needs
Resource Needs 215 Break 230 Assessment
Suggestions for Consideration Doris Bergen,
Dept. of Educational Psychology, Miami
University Julia Pemberton 245 Team Work with
Technical Assistance Planning Assessment
Strategies for Team Projects 315 Budget
Procedures Randy Flora and Julia
Pemberton 330 Next Steps Carl E. Paternite and
Randy Flora 345 Evaluation and
Adjournment Julia Pemberton
- 500 Reception - Highlights of 2000-2001
Programs - 515 Welcome and Introductions
- Carl E. Paternite, Miami University Center for
School-Based Mental Health Programs - 530 School, Family, and Community Partnerships
Addressing Barriers to Learning - Research and
Practical Applications - Marc Atkins, University of Illinois - Chicago
- 600 Dinner
- 640 Under Pressure!
- Lakota East High School Students with Advisors,
Richard Schmaltz and Lisa Schmaltz -
- 730 School, Family, and Community Partnerships
- Scott Rankin, Fairfax School, Hamilton County
MRDD - 800 Imagining School, Family, and Community
- Partnerships Drawing the Pictures
- Marc Atkins and Scott Rankin
-
31- Addressing Barriers To Learning
- School, Family, and Community Partnerships
- Second Annual Conference
- March 20 21, 2002
- Marcum Conference Center
- Miami University
- Oxford, Ohio
- Institute for Educational Renewal Based
- at Miami University
- Miami University Center for
Addressing Barriers To Learning School, Family,
and Community Partnerships Conference Advisory
Committee Randy Flora Institute for
Educational Renewal, MU Joan Fopma-Loy
Department of Nursing, MU Susan Mosley-Howard
Associate Dean, EAP, MU Carl E. Paternite
Department of Psychology, MU Roberta Perlin
Talawanda City Schools Alex Thomas Dept. of
Educational Psychology, MU Valerie Ubbes
Dept. of Physical Education, MU Raymond Witte
Dept. of Educational Psychology,
MU Evaluator Doris Bergen Dept. of
Educational Psychology, MU Contacts Randy
Flora floravr_at_muohio.edu (513)529-6926 203
McGuffey Hall Oxford, OH 45056 Carl E.
paternce_at_muohio.edu (513)529-2416 Paternite Dept.
of Psychology, Benton Hall Oxford, OH
45056 Many thanks to the members of the
Conference Advisory Committee for your time and
effort. Additional thanks to our funding
providers, The Graduate School of Miami
University and the Butler County Mental Health
Board, for their support.
32Thursday, March 21, 2002 815 a.m.- 300
p.m. PROGRAM
- Wednesday, March 20, 2002
- 515 p.m.- 800 p.m.
- PROGRAM
-
- Session 2 Goals
- School-based teams refine goal statements to
include outcome and process goals that include
criteria/indicators for determining success. - Participants plan implementation strategies
appropriate to the goals and criteria/indicators
for determining success. - Participants understand their
responsibilities for implementation, budget
management, evaluation, and reporting. - Faculty consultants and graduate students
are assigned to, and understand their
consultation responsibilities for, each team for
2002-2003.
- Session 1 Goals
- Participants understand and support the
purpose of the
Addressing Barriers to Learning
initiative. - Participants become aware of successful
and promising school-based projects. - Participants strengthen their commitments
to support their
respective school-based projects.
815 Continental Breakfast 845 Todays
Agenda Carl E. Paternite, Department of
Psychology, MU 900 Assessing Progress
Suggestions for Consideration Doris Bergen,
Department of Educational Psychology,
MU 930 Focusing Projects on Desired Conditions
and Outcomes Knowing What You Want Alex
Thomas, Department of Educational Psychology,
MU 1000 Work Session with Consultants 1100 Choo
sing Strategies that Earn Desired Outcomes Ray
Witte, Department of Educational Psychology,
MU 1130 Lunch 1230 Work Session with
Consultants 115 Question and Answer
Session Whole Group 145 Cross-team
Conversation Teams are paired up to describe
their projects and receive constructive input on
their projects 230 Budget Procedures and Next
Steps Carl E. Paternite 245 Evaluation and
Adjournment Julia Pemberton, Graduate Assistant,
Institute for Ed. Renewal
515 Reception - Highlights of 2001-2002
Programs 545 Welcome and Networking
Dinner Carl E. Paternite, Miami University
Center for School-Based Mental Health
Programs 700 Under Pressure! Lakota East High
School Students with Advisor, Sue
Bateman 730 Under Pressure! Question and
Answer Session with Under Pressure!
33Addressing Barriers to Learning Evaluation of
2002 Training Conference Mean ratings for each
training component (scale 1 low/no usefulness
5 very useful) Evening Session (25-26
respondents) Highlights of 2001-02
Projects 4.0 Networking dinner 4.4
Youth group performance 4.8 Full-day Session
(30-32 respondents) Assessing progress 3.6
Desired conditions and outcomes 4.1 Work
session with consultants 1 4.5 Strategies
that earn desired outcomes 4.0 Work session
with consultants 2 4.5
34- Addressing Barriers to Learning Current
Elementary School Action Projects - School-wide project focused on increasing
students positive social skills, using monthly - themes and activities (open house nights,
assemblies, community speakers). Parent - involvement in planning and implementation is
emphasized. - School-wide project focused on trait of the
month themes (e.g., responsibility, caring) - and activities (community service projects,
fund raising for needy families, school-based - counseling groups, after school activities,
peer mediation program). - School-wide attendance enhancement program,
through improved monitoring, enhanced - parental involvement with an after
school/evening tutoring program linked to family - dinner/activity events, and an attendance
reward program. - School-wide outreach program to families (The
Road Show) taking school informational - meetings into neighborhoods and communities,
to overcome obstacle of the - geographically large catchment area and to
increase family sense of engagement with the - school.
35- Addressing Barriers to Learning Current
Elementary School Action Projects (contd) - A violence reduction program, focused on
development of resource materials and use of - psychoeducational training in coping skills
and strategies for at risk students. - School-wide family engagement project
emphasizing literacy, through school-based - reading night dinner programs with
storytellers and opportunities for families to
read - together.
- School-wide parent involvement and support
program focused on attention to needs of - families, efforts to increase positive
attitudes toward learning, and enhancement of
social - skills of students, using community picnics
and Parents on Board parenting classes. - School-wide program focused on understanding and
appreciating difference, tolerance, - and conflict resolution skills, using
curricula from the Center for Peace Education.
36- Addressing Barriers to Learning Current High
School Action Projects - Mentoring program focused on academic and
personal success - of students, including a strong community
service component. - Alternative high school service learning program
incorporating - intensive involvement with a senior citizens
center and tutoring in - an elementary school.
37- Addressing Barriers to Learning Training in the
Project Evaluation Process - Determine goals and objectives.
- Determine data needed to measure desired
outcomes. - Select measurement methods.
- Outline data collection plan.
- Collect data.
- Compile, analyze, interpret, and report results.
- Refine project based on findings.
- Note Dr. Doris Bergen (Miami University Center
for Human Development, Learning, and - Teaching) has provided ongoing technical
assistance on the evaluation process.
38Addressing Barriers to LearningLevels of
Evaluation Evaluation expected on two or more
of the four levels Level 1 -- Records on
planned activities. Level 2 -- Self-report data
from participant groups on knowledge,
attitudes, behaviors. Level 3 -- Outcome data
on student effects (attendance, office
referrals, grades). Level 4 -- Systematic
observational data on behavior change
related to objectives of project. Note Dr.
Doris Bergen (Miami University Center for Human
Development, Learning, and Teaching) has provided
ongoing technical assistance on the evaluation
process.
39- Addressing Barriers to Learning Linking Project
Objectives to Evaluation - The Road Show
- Objectives
- Increase family involvement with school
- Increase student attendance
- Decrease discipline referrals
- Evaluation Plan
- Number of positive/negative calls to school
- Road show attendance rates and parent survey
- Attendance at parent conferences
- Student attendance rates
- Student discipline referrals
40Closing Observations
- Clearly, intellectual, social, and emotional
education go hand-in-hand, and all are linked to
creating safe schools, building healthy
character, and achieving academic success - The proper aim of education is to promote
significant learning. Significant learning
entails development. Development means
successively asking broader and deeper questions
of the relationship between oneself and the
world. This is as true for first graders as it is
for graduate students, for fledgling artists as
graying accountants. - A good education ought to help people
become more perceptive to and more discriminating
about the world seeing, feeling, and
understanding more, yet sorting the pertinent
from the peripheral with ever finer touch,
increasingly able to integrate what they see and
to make meaning of it in ways that enhance their
ability to go on growing. To imagine otherwise,
to act as though learning were simply a matter of
stacking facts on top of one another, makes as
much sense as thinking one can learn a language
by memorizing a dictionary. Ideas only come to
life when they root in the mind of a learner.
(Daloz, 1999, p. 243) -
41Closing Observations
- The need for increased attention to mental health
promotion on behalf of youth, is quite clear - We have a burgeoning field of developmental
psychopathology but have a more diffuse body of
research on the pathways whereby children and
adolescents become motivated, directed, socially
competent, compassionate, and psychologically
vigorous adults. Corresponding to that, we have
numerous research-based programs for youth aimed
at curbing drug use, violence, suicide, teen
pregnancy, and other problem behaviors, but lack
a rigorous applied psychology of how to promote
youth development. - The place for such a field is apparent to
anyone who has had contact with a cross section
of American adolescents. (Larson, 2000, p. 170)
42Closing Observations
- Certainly, educators are key partners in efforts
to intervene with children in need and to promote
development. - In fact, through their day-to-day interactions
with students, educators are the linchpins of
school-based efforts to encourage healthy
psychological development of youth.