cbhm look book

The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model

Boston Public Schools

Behavioral Health Services

443 Warren St. Boston, MA, 02101

CBHMBoston.com

Comprehensive

Behavioral

Health Model

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Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of children

through exemplary teaching and learning practices in a world-class and

innovative educational system. We understand that physical and mental

health, emotional well-being and positive youth development are linked with

academic success. The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM)

has been instrumental in enhancing the district’s capacity to meet the

behavioral needs of students in our schools.

Through the process of integrating the practices of CBHM in our schools,

we are establishing a way to ensure all schools have access to high-quality

and coordinated behavioral and mental health supports.

Boston Public Schools believes that school communities are a network of

support for its diverse students, families and staff . We believe that providing

instruction, supports and services for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and

Wellness is essential for educational success. BPS has affi rmed its strong

commitment to the social-emotional learning and wellness needs of its

students through the creation of a new department, the Offi ce of Social

Emotional Learning and Wellness . This new department strives to build upon

CBHM ‘s work integrating other BPS departments, services and supports to

promote positive school climate and youth development, prevent violence

and bullying, and engage students collectively. Our commitment to our

students, families and community is to move from random acts of equity

and pockets of excellence to systemic transformation.

Though much has been accomplished, there is still much work ahead. We

know that this work matters to our young people and their families, and

we cannot do this alone. The Offi ce of SEL and Wellness looks forward

to harnessing the tremendous power of community to proactively and

positively impact the lives of our children.

To learn more about BPS or CBHM, please visit our websites at

www.bostonpublicschools.org and www.cbhmboston.com. Your input is

welcomed and vital to our continued success. We look forward to hearing

from you.

Sincerely,

Amalio Nieves

A letter fromAmalio Nieves Superintendent for Social Emotional

Learning and Wellness

Improving school culture and addressing the behavioral health needs of students depends on

integrated and sustainable partnerships. Therefore, we would like to thank our key partners and

partnering organizations who have contributed to the development of CBHM (see page 21).

Special thanks go to the staff of the Boston Public Schools Behavioral Health Services Department

without whom this work could not happen.

CBHM EXECUTIVE WORKGROUP

ANDRIA AMADOR

JENNIFER CORISH-WHITE

SHELLA DENNERY

ELAINE LEONG

JOHN MACDONALD

MELISSA PEARROW

JOHN RIORDAN

LAURA SHACHMUT

JILL SNYDER

DANIEL WEINSTOCK

MARY ZORTMAN COHEN

Designed by students in Professor Lisa Rosowsky’s Community

Partnership Design course at the Massachusetts College of Art

and Design, Fall 2015:

STUDENTS

AUSTIN ALPHONSE

NATHANIEL AMARO

STEFANIE BAZARIAN

JOHN BRADY

MOLLY BREEN

FAN CHEN

LUCIA CONCHELLO-BUEYES

OSCAR CROCKER

LAURA MENDEZ

MONTAKAN NAMTHONG

DALENA TRAN

Designed by students in Professor Lisa Rosowsky’s Community Partnership Design course at the

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Fall 2015


Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model 1

Imagine a school in which children, families, faculty and

community partners feel welcome and valued. All children

experience a social emotional learning curriculum as part

of their classroom and school experience. Teachers periodically

review each of their students’ behavioral health strengths

and needs, and students in need of additional support are

provided appropriate services quickly. Teams of teachers

and administrators review student behavioral health data

and progress on a regular basis. Community partners, families,

and school personnel meet periodically and communicate

regularly about children who are receiving additional support.

You don’t have to imagine it: this is already happening in

many of Boston’s public schools!

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The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM)

was developed by the Boston Public Schools Behavioral

Health Services department, in collaboration with Boston

Children’s Hospital. It is a district wide response to the need

for behavioral health support for all students in our schools.

CBHM is a multi-tiered system designed to give all Boston

Public School students access to high-quality behavioral and

mental health support.CBHM was put into place during the

2012–2013 school year; it is now used in forty schools, with

more locations added every academic year.

Welcome to CBHM

What is the

Comprehensive

Behavioral

Health Model?

Opposite: Sharman Nathanson,

Children’s Advocacy Center of Suff olk County,

at the CBHM Showcase Event June 2015

Below: School psychologist, Kelly Cotton,

with children at the Jackson-Mann K-8 school.

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The goal of the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model

is to address students’ behavioral health needs in a positive

way, making it easier for them to learn and communicate well.

Both in and through CBHM’s universal screening process, at-risk

students are identifi ed as needing emotional support early,

before a problem comes up. The three-tiered model ensures

students receive the appropriate level of support, while the

data gathered from the program helps your school ensure

the supports are working. Models like this have been proven to

improve academic performance—CBHM really works!

Why do

we need a

Behavioral

Health Model?

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4 Boston Public Schools

The Three Tiered SystemThe core of the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model is

its 3-tiered system, which reaches out to all students in the

Boston Public Schools that have implemented the model.

Universal INTERVENTION

100%

of students receive Universal

Interventions

INTERVENTION

10-20%

of students receive Targeted

Interventions

IndividualINTERVENTION

5-10%

of students receive Individual

Interventions

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“It helps us to build a sense of

community and grow the self-

confi dence and self-esteem

of our students.”

Tricia Lampron, Principal of Henderson School

Tier 1 is the core of the CBHM, and provides universal

interventions designed to meet the needs of every student,

every day. Students learn how to express themselves,

communicate with others, and behave in positive ways

both in and out of the classroom.

Tier 2 serves students who continue to struggle with

behavioral issues in school. It uses short-term, solution

focused interventions to build skills. Tier 2 provides

students who need it with regular supervision, corrective

feedback, and positive reinforcement by adults and peers.

Tier 3 is designed to meet the unique needs of students

who are experiencing high levels of distress. Individual

interventions use the services of highly trained and

specialized staff and healthcare providers. Interactions on

this level are designed to address the strengths and needs

of each individual student.

Universal

Targeted

Individual

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FAMILIES

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Maybe your child came home from school talking about

the day’s lessons on respect. Or maybe she proudly showed

you a certifi cate rewarding her for positive behavior in the

classroom. Or you may have been contacted by your child’s

teacher asking you to come in and talk about how to improve

his social skills. This is the Comprehensive Behavior Health

Model in action. Whether your student is in elementary

school or in high school, CBHM can help improve your

child’s behavior at home as well as in school.



CBHM & Your Family

Much research has been done to help us understand the

connection between behavioral health programs and a

student’s academic achievement. Studies have continued

to show that strengthening students’ social, emotional,

and decision-making skills has a positive eff ect on their

academic achievement. Students learning in schools

where CBHM has been implemented have demonstrated

an increase in academic performance, as measured by the

MCAS. As behavioral health improved between 2012 and

2014, average student scores in math and reading improved.

Your Child’s

Academic

Success

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You will fi nd students in every grade level have class time each

week devoted to discussing social, emotional and behavioral

topics. These topics range from sharing to staying organized,

and everything in between. CBHM ensures topics are age

appropriate and relevant for each school.

Instead of testing students for their academic skills alone,

teachers in your child’s school use a screening process, which

helps them to identify a student’s academic and behavioral

skills. All students are screened, and the information gathered

helps your child’s school—and all Boston Public Schools—to

identify areas of need and coordinate programming to meet

these needs.

Students who are identifi ed as needing additional behavioral

intervention gather in small groups outside of class time, and

meet with teachers to set up a special plan for improvement.

Students whose behavioral needs require further attention may

be referred for counseling or other one-on-one supports.

Schools Using

CBHM

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10 Boston Public Schools10 Boston Public Schools

When Joey, a fourth grade student at Mason Pilot

School in Roxbury, entered fourth grade he barely

spoke, and when he did it was in whispers. As a student

diagnosed with a mood disorder and PTSD, he was

having diffi culty regulating his emotions and behavior

in the classroom, leading to frequent escalations. It was

apparent that being in class every day was a challenge

and his teachers were concerned about meeting his

needs in an inclusive classroom. Instead of placing

Joey into a separate “behavior” class, a team of qualifi ed

educators and family members came up with a plan to

monitor, and improve his behavior.

By the end of the year, Joey had fewer emotional

escalations and he was able to pay attention in class far

better than ever before. His shining moment was when

he was awarded the class’ “Most Improved” award at an

end-of-the-year ceremony.

Success Stories

Joey

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Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model 11Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model 11

Edwin is a 10-year old Jackson Mann student enrolled in

the school’s Autism Strand. Edwin, who has diffi culty with

expressive language, was presented with a Golden Tiger

certifi cate for showing Jackson Mann positive behaviors.

A few days later, teachers found the Golden Tiger award in

Edwin’s backpack—framed! At fi rst, everyone thought

Edwin’s mom must have framed his Golden Tiger award

for him, but they later found out that Edwin framed it

himself. Edwin couldn’t express his feelings about the

award with words, but he certainly showed everyone how

much it mattered to him!

Edwin

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SCHOOLS

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Whether you are a classroom or special education teacher,

a school psychologist, school administrator, or staff ,

you want the best for your school. By nurturing an

emotionally healthy school community, CBHM improves

student test scores and reduces disciplinary rates, making

for a happier environment both inside and outside the

classroom. This model enables teachers and school

staff to develop individual programs to suit each student

who needs it. And the best part? CBHM really works!


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The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model has clearly

defi ned behavioral expectations. Staff use consistent

language to teach students core values and daily routines.

Positive behaviors are recognized and reinforced, and

success is celebrated. Schools using CBHM are expected

to use multiple sources of data to analyze problems, plan

instruction, make decisions and fi nd solutions. After solutions

are developed and implemented, they are evaluated to

determine their eff ectiveness, and tweaked as necessary.

Most importantly, educators in schools using the CBHM

show students they care. Students know who they can turn

to for support, and how to ask for the help they need.

CBHM in School

Comprehensive

Behavioral

Health Model

and your school

Below: Pupil Adjustment Counselors from


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RESPECTINCLUSIVITYRIGOR

Cla

ssro

om

Sh

ared

Sp

aces

Lib

rary

Caf

eter

ia

Arrive to class on time

Behave in a way that allows you and others to learn

Respect physical and personal boundaries

Use academic language

Engage in learning

Bring materials and assignments to class

Make way for others

Smile and greet others

Throw away trash

Move to your destination quickly

Use appropriate language

Respect physical and personal boundaries

Be polite to cafeteria staff

Throw away trash

Be friendly

Return materials on time

Use quiet voices

Take care of materials

Be friendly

Keep space tidy

Be polite to library staff

Listen to others

Respect all opinions

Learn about others

Be willing to work with and help others

Embrace new ideas and concepts

Think of all students as learning partners

Demonstrate tolerance

Be welcoming

Be positive

Demonstrate tolerance

Commitment to whole school improvement

Follow directions from all adults

Sit with new people

Use appropriate language

Share table space

Work with others

Be accepting of new ideas and concepts

Share materials

Come ready to learn

Challenge yourself

Be present

Ask questions and give feedback

Actively participate

Be a positive role model

Take advantage of available supports

Be on time to class

Help others make good choices

Follow school rules

Look out for each other

Look out for each other

Clean up trash that is not yours

Check out and read books

Use library space productively

Explore new topics

Take advantage of available supports

BHS Sample Behavior Matrix

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The Harvard Kent began its CBHM work at the

beginning of the 2014–2015 school year. Harvard Kent’s

school values are centered on Purpose, Responsibility,

Individuality, Determination and Engagement (P.R.I.D.E!).

Students are rewarded with PRIDE! Bucks when they show

those core values. Noticeable behavioral improvement

has been seen in both the hallways and cafeteria and

the program is starting to expand to other areas of the

building. In the fi rst two months of handing out PRIDE!

Bucks; $32,000 in face value bucks was earned by our

students and 480 times per day a student or an entire class

was handed a Pride Buck by a staff person.

Success Stories

Harvard Kent

Opposite: Ashot Gheridian, a teacher at Brighton

High, instructing his students.

Below: Students from the Harvard Kent

Elementary School celebrate a “fancy lunch” as a

reward for showing the school’s Core Values

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In 2014, Brighton High School decided it needed to change

the way students were supported. The high school led the

district in student suspensions, with nearly twice the city

average. So it reached out for help and soon became a

CBHM school. Within the fi rst year, Brighton High School

implemented new behavioral programs and the climate of

the school began to change. Brighton High conducted a

universal screening to identify what supports the students

needed. This data led to the adoption of Restorative Justice

and a complete change in the way the school approached

discipline with the students. By the end of the fi rst year,

Brighton High had lowered student suspensions by 44% and

students and teachers both reported a more positive school

climate and a better learning environment. Brighton High

continues to be an active school within the CBHM model.

Brighton High

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PARTNERS


CBHM relies on partnerships to help accomplish

its many required tasks.

When partnered with institutions like universities

and healthcare providers, CBHM works to reach out

to those in need of comprehensive and accessible

counseling. Grants and donations also go a long way

to assist CBHM in its goal.



Partners of CBHM

BPS is fortunate to have an abundance of community-based

organizations that have helped develop CBHM. Some of

our primary partners include Boston Children’s Hospital

and the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) School

Psychology Program.

These district level partnerships have been instrumental to

developing systemic solutions which outline best practices

for serving students. Together, we have charted a vision for

meeting the behavioral health needs of all BPS students.

CBHM also partners with many community based agencies

that provide services within our schools. School level

partnerships enhance our capacity to meet the needs of

students by providing direct services. These services include

individual and group counseling, consultation, case

management, and crisis intervention.

We look forward to further developing these and new

partnerships, as we continue to serve the Boston Public

School’s students and families.

Why We Need

our Partners

Below (left to right):

Patrick Kennedy, Melissa Pearrow: Professor,

UMASS Boston, Stacy Skalski: Director of

Professional Policy and Practice, National

Association of School Psychologists,

Michael Middleton: UMASS Boston Dean of

Education and Human Development

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KEY PARTNERS

ANDRIA AMADOR CBHM Executive Workgroup

ACHILLES BARDOS University of Northern Colorado

AMY BRIESCH Northeastern University

TOMMY CHANG Boston Public Schools

JENNIFER CORISH-WHITE CBHM Executive Workgroup

BARBARA DEANE-WILLIAMS Boston Public Schools

DAVID DEMASO BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

SHELLA DENNERY Boston Children’s Hospital

STEPHANIE DOYLE Boston Public Health Commission

JOAN DUFFELL Committee for Children

KARLA ESTRADA Boston Public Schools

ADAM FEINBERG University of Massachusetts Boston

PATRICK KENNEDY Former US Congressman

AMY KAYE Boston Children’s Hospital

ELAINE LEONG CBHM Executive Workgroup

JIM MCDOUGAL SUNY Oswego

JENNIFER MACONOCHIE Boston Police Department

JOHN MACDONALD CBHM Executive Workgroup

MICHAEL MIDDLETON University of Massachusetts Boston

SHARI NETHERSOLE Boston Children’s Hospital

AMALIO NIEVES Boston Public Schools

MELISSA PEARROW University of Massachusetts Boston

ROBERT PUTNAM May Institute

JOHN RIORDAN Boston Children’s Hospital

LAURA SHACHMUT CBHM Executive Workgroup

STACY SKALSKI National Association of

School Psychologists

JILL SNYDER CBHM Executive Workgroup

GEORGE SUGAI University of Connecticut

ROBERT VOLPE Northeastern University

DANIEL WEINSTOCK Educational Consultant

MARY ZORTMAN COHEN CBHM Executive Workgroup

CHARLENE ZUFFANTE Boston Metro Department

of Mental Health

PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS

Boston Children’s Hospital

Boston Metro Department of Mental Health

Boston Police Department

Boston Public Health Commission

Boston Public School Principals

Boston Public School Teachers

Boston Public School Students & Families

Boston School Based Mental Health Collaborative

Boston Teachers Union

Committee for Children

Massachusetts Safe and Supportive Schools

Commission

May Institute

Metro Boston Department of Mental Health

National Association of School Psychologists

Northeastern University–School Psychology program

United States Department of Justice

University of Massachusetts Boston–

Department of Counseling & School Psychology

Screening for Mental Health

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Boston Children’s Hospital has partnered with BPS

and the Behavioral Health Department to support

the implementation of the CBHM across the district.

Children’s Hospital provides fi nancial and personnel

assistance, including CBHM Executive Workgroup

Representatives as well as school based service providers

who are familiar with the CBHM model and can help

facilitate thorough implementation across schools.

As a key partner in CBHM Boston Children’s Hospital

has co-sponsored professional development events,

awareness events and co-presented with CBHM staff at

national conferences. Boston Children’s Hospital and

BPS are modeling how schools and hospitals can work

together strategically to improve the lives of children.

Boston Children’s

Hospital

Success Stories

Opposite: Partners from Children’s Hospital

meet with Patrick Kennedy at the

CBHM Showcase event.

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University of Massachusetts Boston has partnered with

BPS and the Behavioral Health Department to support the

implementation of CBHM across the district. UMASS Boston

has representatives on the CBHM Executive Workgroup

to support research, evaluation, and program delivery. In

addition, UMASS Boston supports the involvement of school

psychology practices and internship experiences in BPS

to help deliver high quality behavioral and mental health

supports for BPS students.

Working in partnership with the Boston Public Schools, the

Boston Area School Based Behavioral Health Collaborative is

a collective of state, city, and community based organizations

committed to promoting the behavioral health, wellbeing,

and academic success of students. The Collaborative is

dedicated to ensuring equitable access to high quality,

culturally competent school-based behavioral health services

and resources for all students in the Boston Public Schools.

School Based

Behavioral Health

Collaborative

UMASS Boston

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The CBHM framework calls for the use of tiered interventions

for addressing behavior and school climate. Research supports

that using a similar tiered model for academic interventions

also improves student outcomes. The Boston Public Schools is

committed to implementing a comprehensive tiered model for

behavior and academics. The Massachusetts Department

of Education calls this model The Massachusetts Tiered System

of Support (MTSS). MTSS supports both the academic and

behavioral health of students through systems initiatives, core

instruction, tiered interventions and progress monitoring.

As BPS continues to develop MTSS, our CBHM team will work

to integrate what we have learned from CBHM into MTSS.

A basic graphic to represent this merger appears below.

For more information about CBHM visit our website at

www.cbhmboston.com

For more information about MTSS visit the Department of

Elementary and Secondary Education website at

www.doe.mass.edu/sped/mtss.html

Next Steps for

CBHM

Universal INTERVENTION

Targeted INTERVENTION

IndividualINTERVENTION

s

RTI

CBHM Behavioral

Academic

47935_Text.indd 24 12/16/15 2:52 PM

Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of children

through exemplary teaching and learning practices in a world-class and

innovative educational system. We understand that physical and mental

health, emotional well-being and positive youth development are linked with

academic success. The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM)

has been instrumental in enhancing the district’s capacity to meet the

behavioral needs of students in our schools.

Through the process of integrating the practices of CBHM in our schools,

we are establishing a way to ensure all schools have access to high-quality

and coordinated behavioral and mental health supports.

Boston Public Schools believes that school communities are a network of

support for its diverse students, families and staff . We believe that providing

instruction, supports and services for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and

Wellness is essential for educational success. BPS has affi rmed its strong

commitment to the social-emotional learning and wellness needs of its

students through the creation of a new department, the Offi ce of Social

Emotional Learning and Wellness . This new department strives to build upon

CBHM ‘s work integrating other BPS departments, services and supports to

promote positive school climate and youth development, prevent violence

and bullying, and engage students collectively. Our commitment to our

students, families and community is to move from random acts of equity

and pockets of excellence to systemic transformation.

Though much has been accomplished, there is still much work ahead. We

know that this work matters to our young people and their families, and

we cannot do this alone. The Offi ce of SEL and Wellness looks forward

to harnessing the tremendous power of community to proactively and

positively impact the lives of our children.

To learn more about BPS or CBHM, please visit our websites at

www.bostonpublicschools.org and www.cbhmboston.com. Your input is

welcomed and vital to our continued success. We look forward to hearing

from you.

Sincerely,

Amalio Nieves

A letter fromAmalio Nieves Superintendent for Social Emotional

Learning and Wellness

Improving school culture and addressing the behavioral health needs of students depends on

integrated and sustainable partnerships. Therefore, we would like to thank our key partners and

partnering organizations who have contributed to the development of CBHM (see page 21).

Special thanks go to the staff of the Boston Public Schools Behavioral Health Services Department

without whom this work could not happen.

CBHM EXECUTIVE WORKGROUP

ANDRIA AMADOR

JENNIFER CORISH-WHITE

SHELLA DENNERY

ELAINE LEONG

JOHN MACDONALD

MELISSA PEARROW

JOHN RIORDAN

LAURA SHACHMUT

JILL SNYDER

DANIEL WEINSTOCK

MARY ZORTMAN COHEN

Designed by students in Professor Lisa Rosowsky’s Community

Partnership Design course at the Massachusetts College of Art

and Design, Fall 2015:

STUDENTS

AUSTIN ALPHONSE

NATHANIEL AMARO

STEFANIE BAZARIAN

JOHN BRADY

MOLLY BREEN

FAN CHEN

LUCIA CONCHELLO-BUEYES

OSCAR CROCKER

LAURA MENDEZ

MONTAKAN NAMTHONG

DALENA TRAN

Designed by students in Professor Lisa Rosowsky’s Community Partnership Design course at the

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Fall 2015


The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model

Boston Public Schools


443 Warren St. Boston, MA, 02101

CBHMBoston.com

Comprehensive

Behavioral

Health Model


cbhm look book

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