According to The School-Based Health Alliance, in order to have the greatest positive impact, school-based mental health services should be fully blended into the framework of the school and should follow a few best practices.
School-based mental health services should:
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build from and complement a positive school climate.
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be universally available to all students, especially prevention and early intervention services.
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come from mental health providers who work with school staff in teams.
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have mental health providers who serve as a resource to teachers and other school staff.
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be provided to school districts in partnership with county and community agencies.
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be organized into a three tier system: universal, targeted, and intensive.
In order to support your district’s efforts to build infrastructure and staff capacity within these best practices, we have identified vetted tools and provide them here to support your school-based mental health program.
Suicide Prevention Resources
Suicide Prevention: Resources to assist with compliance of AB 2246 and AB 1767
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- Model Policy
California Suicide Audit 2020
SAMHSA Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools
K-12 Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention - Heard Alliance
After a Suicide Toolkit for Schools
Role of High School Teachers
Suicide Resources in Different Languages
How to help your child after a suicide - Spanish
How to help your child after a suicide - Tagalog
Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
The National Association of School Psychologists has pointed out that trauma informed schools promote: Feelings of physical, social, and emotional safety in students. These resources will help you develop a shared understanding among staff about the impact of trauma and adversity on students and staff.
Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Implementation Guide
Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Handout Packet
Educator Self-Care For Extraordinary Times: A Trauma-Sensitive Guide to Educator Wellness
School-Based Health Centers:
These are centers of health in schools where students are based. They can offer a full range of age-appropriate health care services, typically including: primary medical care, mental/behavioral health care, dental/oral health care, health education, substance abuse counseling, case management and nutrition education.
California School-Based Health Alliance
School-Based Health Alliance
Screening:
School mental health screening is a systematic process to identify the strengths and needs of students. It supports the identification of students who may be experiencing or are at risk of experiencing social, emotional, and/or behavioral difficulties. The following national resources provide screening measure examples and guidance in how to support youth with early identification strategies.
SAMHSA Ready, Set, Go, Review: Screening for Behavioral Health in Schools Guidance
Defending Childhood State Initiative: Guidance on Trauma Screening in Schools
SHAPE: School Mental Health Quality Guide - Screening
Mental Health America Screening Tools
Medi-Cal Reimbursement:
As schools and local educational agencies seek out ways to fund and sustain school based mental health services, Medi-Cal funded services have the potential to grow significantly in schools. The following resources provide information to support third party billing and the development of Medi-Cal funded mental health support.
California Children's Trust: Practical Guide for Financing Social, Emotional and Mental Health in Schools
California School Based Health Alliance Funding: School Based Health Care
Dept. of Health Care Services: Medi-Cal/LEA Program Provider Manual
LGBTQ Resources:
Model LEA Policy on Transgender and Nonbinary Students
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Gender Support Plan
LGBTQ+ Terminology/ Pronoun Best Practices
2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health
TrevorSpace
The Trevor Project Support
Trevor Project Stories of Pride
If you need additional information or have any questions, please reach out to your Regional WISP Liaison.