Upper Perkiomen School District

Mental Health Supports and Needs

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN OUR SCHOOLS

DistrictFramework

of Supports

Counselor Responsibilities➢ Provide classroom guidance, group, and individual counseling➢ Participate in IEP conferences for special education students. ➢ Member of instructional support team. Team responsible for providing services where needed

such as observations, interviews and recommendations.➢ Serves as the 504 coordinator.➢ Conducts individual screening of incoming kindergarten students. ➢ Screens children for gifted program and communicates results to teachers.➢ Counsels, supervises and trains in peer relations.➢ With building principal, oversee and organize building’s standardized testing program and

materials; interprets results to parents and students.➢ Presents programs to faculty, students and parents; arranges workshops with outside agencies.➢ Regularly visits classrooms; presents lessons applicable to grade level and need. ➢ Performs school functions, supervision of dismissal, safety and emergency response & crisis

team

Behavior Specialist Responsibilities

➢ Participate and provide consultation for all SAP and MTSS meetings elementary and middle level

➢ Conduct student observations and provide interventions and data collection tools for classroom teachers

➢ Formal Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) and Behavior Support Plans

➢ District certified crisis trainer (QBS)➢ Member on all district crisis teams➢ Consultation for all low incidence classrooms (AS, MDS,

and Emotional Support)➢ Out of district behavioral support liaison

Social Worker Responsibilities

TruancyTransition Coordination

Program Development (Operation Backpack, Elementary SAP, Progressions)Frequent consultation with Administrators/Counselors

Professional Staff ResponsibilitiesAdministrators Professional Staff

Promote a caring and responsive culture - PBISOversee the effective implementation of MTSS including accountability of staff intervention implementation and data collection. Ensure teachers maintain student confidentialityCoordinate staff support and trainingSupervise and evaluate classroom instruction and the implementation of support servicesSupervise and evaluate counselors and specialists to ensure service deliveryCollaborate with specialists to identify service delivery needs.

Promote a caring and responsive culture - PBISImplement interventions with fidelity provided through MTSS and consultation with specialistsActively participate in data collection and reportingMaintain confidentiality of student informationImplement effective classroom behavior management systemsProvide differentiated instructional practices to meet the varying needs (academic, emotional and behavioral) of students within their classes.

UPSD Student Services Addressing

Mental Health

➔ Student Assistance Program (SAP) K-12

➔ MTSS/SST➔ Counseling Groups➔ SEL Curriculum➔ Counseling Services

SAP K-12The Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program (SAP) trains school staff to identify alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and mental health issues that act as barriers to a student’s success. Students can then be connected with resources. The primary goal of SAP is to help students overcome barriers, remain in school and advance academically

MTSS/SSTMTSS is a whole school, data driven, prevention-based framework for improving learning and behavioral outcomes for every student. MTSS ensures that we are intervening in all areas—academic, emotional, social and behavioral—where and when it is needed for any student, to assist in determining who should be considered for Special Education Services.

Counseling Groups K-12A tier 2 intervention providing 6-8 week group sessions by building level counselors on topics ranging from changing families to social skills and emotional intelligence

ELEMENTARY SECONDARY

Social ThinkingZones of regulationUnstuck/On Target

AnxietyFriendship

Skills Streaming

MindfulnessSocial SkillsGirls group

Skills StreamingGrief/Loss

Strategies for SuccessFamily DynamicsSocial Thinking

Coping StrategiesFridenships

UP 101

Explanation of Groups Social Thinking: The aim of Social Thinking is to help verbal learners develop the skills they need to be flexible social thinkers and social problem solvers. ... They will also learn about their own thinking (and that of others) to help them make better decisions when in the midst of social play and interaction.

Zones of Regulation: Curriculum geared toward helping students gain skills in consciously regulating their actions, which in turn leads to increased control and problem solving abilities.

Skills Streaming: Skillstreaming employs a four-part training approach—modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, and generalization—to teach essential prosocial skills to children and adolescents.

Girls Group: Discuss various topics that middle school girls experience during their middle school year (example topics social media, self-esteem, body image, social hierarchy of middle school, and dating)

UP 101: This group focuses on skills necessary for school success, including: study skills, note taking, organization and time management.

Mindfulness➔ Provided as a small group for

identified students at the middle school

➔ Provided as a classroom guidance lesson to 6th grade

➔ Provided as a small group for identified students at the high school

➔ Provided 3 times as a classroom lesson in high school 9th grade health classes

Creative Health Services SAP Liaison and PartnershipSAP meetings and screenings K-1211 Second Step classroom lessons K-22 classroom lessons 7-94 classroom lessons grade 11

Victims of Crime and Abuse (VOCA)Individual counselling for students and families who have been a victim or witnessed crime or abuse

Progressions School Based Outpatient ProgramIndividual counselling for students with Medical Assistance

Mobile CrisisCrisis intervention

Community Supports Provided at UPSD

Connecting with services

MTSS/SST referrals are made by teachersData is collected and reviewed and interventions are provided with monitoringStudents may be referred to SAP during this processDistrict Behavior Specialist and School Social Worker consult in monthly meetings

SAP referrals can come from any staff member, parent or studentSAP members meet as a team to discuss referrals and connect families/students to servicesServices may include school counseling groups, outpatient therapy, daily check-ins or SAP screening and connection to a higher level of care

Threat assessments are completed by school counselor, psychiatrist, or school social worker when a student is deemed a harm to themselves or othersStudents and families may be connected to services based on the level of threatStudents may be identified for in school supports based on the level of threat

SAP MTSS/SSTThreat

Assessment

Family & Community Connection ➢ Supporting a Child with ADHD ➢ Understanding Mental Health➢ Connecting Families with Post High School Transition

Services ➢ Current Trends in Juvenile Drug Use and Community

Supports to Assist Families.➢ Preparing for Life Beyond School➢ Suicide Prevention and Awareness➢ Parental Strategies for Behavior➢ Grandparents Raising Grandchildren➢ Screen Time & Developmental Implications on Children➢ Clearing the Air about Vaping➢ Trauma Informed Care for Parents➢ Montco Drug & Alcohol Office Presentation (March 26th)

School PsychologistsCan Support

Mental Health● Improve students communication and social

skills ● Assess student emotional/behavioral needs● Provide individual and group counseling ● Promote problem solving, anger management,

and conflict resolution ● Reinforce positive coping skills and resilience ● Promote positive peer relationships and social

problem solving ● Make referrals to and coordinate services with

community-based providers

➔ Ongoing Program Analysis (academic, behavioral, and mental health) Considerations:

● Staff utilization and contracted services● Classroom supports delivery● Specialized supports delivery: individual counseling,

crisis response● Early screening and identification

➔ Parent/Community Education➔ A safe and comfortable physical space at each building for

groups and crisis response ➔ Early positive approaches to school avoidance and truancy

issues➔ Liaison for transitional support to and from partial

programs/hospitalizations (step down team)

Considerations for Student Support Services

➔ Refer families to established community supports (The Open Link and Boyertown Multi-services) in order to redefine the school social work role as a student assistance counselor providing mental health supports through SAP

➔ Implement mental health services with fidelity and accountability➔ Clearly define the process, roles and staff responsibilities in how to connect

with school based mental health supports➔ Provide services with continuity across buildings and grade levels➔ Continue to educate administration on mental health services within

buildings in order to ensure support in those areas➔ Relevant professional development for staff implementing mental health

supports➔ Additional staff training on trauma, diversity and empathy for engaging

students➔ Provide space to outside services coming in to support our students

Enhancing Mental Health Supports at UPSD