A School Social Work Perspective

Jerry Best, MSW Candidate

University of Missouri

SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH

MENTAL HEALTH

• “How a person thinks, feels, and acts when faced with life’s situations… This includes

handling stress, relating to other people, and making decisions.” – Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA)

• “A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities and can cope with

the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a

contribution to his or her community.” – World Health Organization (WHO)

• “Mentally healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to experience a range of

emotions in appropriate and constructive ways; possess self-esteem and a respect for

others; and harbor a deep sense of security and trust in themselves and the world.

Mentally healthy children and adolescents are able to function in developmentally

appropriate ways in the contexts of self, family, peers, school and community… Mentally

healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to initiate and maintain meaningful

relationships and learn to function productively…” – National Center for Education in

Maternal and Child Health

THE SCHOOL POPULATION

“The problems experienced by most youngsters are psychosocial (i.e. stem from socio -

cultural and economic factors) not psychopathological and often can be countered through

promotion and prevention.” – Center for Mental Health in Schools (CMHS)

“Students with untreated mental health issues may develop more significant problems which

can greatly impact their educational experience and result in poor educational outcomes.” –

School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA)

• 20-33% of children and adolescents at any given time are experiencing mental health issues that would qualify for a mental health diagnosis

• Effects

• Low self-esteem

• Low self-efficacy

• Low distress tolerance

• Problems relating to social environment

• Decreased engagement in the learning process

• Attendance and truancy issues

• Disruptive and problematic behaviors

• Low school performance and achievement

MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDENTS

Student Mental Health

Mentally Healhty

Diagnosed

Diagnosable

PREVALENCE

Mental Health Diagnosis Lifetime Prevalence

among 18 year-olds

(%)

Prevalence of

Severe

Impairment (%)

Mood Disorders 14.6% 11.2%

Anxiety Disorders 31.9% 8.3%

Behavior Disorders 19.6% 9.6%

Substance Use Disorders 11.4%

Any Disorder 49.5% 27.6%

THE SCHOOL SETTING

“Schools are where children spend most of each day. While schools are primarily concerned

with education, mental health is essential to learning as well as to social and emotional

development.” – President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

• School System

• Focused on educational outcomes

• Key stakeholder in community-based services for children and families

• Mental Health System

• Difficult to access

• Social stigma

• Student/Family Systems

• Doing their best

• Unmet needs

SYSTEMIC FRAMEWORK

Students with Mental Health and/or Psychosocial Problems

Not Receiving Services

Receiving Services

School-Based

Other

THE PROBLEM

Unmet Needs (Psychosocial)

Mental Health Issue

Low Educational Outcomes

Low Grades/Test

Scores

Low Funding

SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH

“School systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students. But when the need directly affects learning, the school must meet the challenge.” – Carnegie Council Task Force on Education of Young Adolescents

“Good emotional and behavioral health… leads to achievement of full academic potential.” – CMHS

“The foundation of the Monroe City R-1 School District’s philosophy is to provide a quality education for all students.”

RANGE OF LEARNERS

• Motivated to learn

• Able to engage

• Obtained prerequisite knowledge and skills Group I

• Less motivated to learn

• Lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills

• Different learning rates and styles

• Minor vulnerabilities and psychosocial stressors

• May internalize negative experiences compounding stressors related to learning

Group II

• Avoidant

• Deficient in current capabilities

• May have a disability or diagnosis

• May have health impairmnets Group III

ADDRESSING LEARNING BARRIERS

Learning Groups (Student Population)

Identify students with learning barriers

Remove or Mitigate Barriers to Learning (Skill Development; Counseling & Case

Management; Behavior Plan; etc.)

Classroom Teaching; Practice Activities;

Homework; Enrichment Activities

Engagement & Participation; High Achievement; Skill

Mastery; Graduation; Employment; College

Enrollment

Desired Outcome

Instructional Component

No Barriers No Barriers Group I

Enabling Component

Barriers to Learning

Group II

Group III

• Universal Screening

• Universal Prevention Programming

• Early Intervention Programs

• Multitier Support System

• Response to Intervention

• Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports

• Social-Emotional Learning

• Case Management and Coordination

• Individual and Group Counseling

• Address psychosocial issues

• Remove/reduce educational barriers

• Ensure save and positive learning environment

• Address behavioral problems

• Decrease student behavioral referrals

• Increase student attendance and engagement

• Increase student achievement and success

GOALS AND STRATEGIES

Goals Strategies

School System

School-Based Mental Health

Family System

• Professional Development

• Identifying and addressing learning and developmental barriers

• Consultation and Support

• Reduced frustration and burnout

• Increased satisfaction and retention

• Addressing Systemic Issues

• Student discipline

• Bullying and harassment

• Addressing other unmet needs

SYSTEMIC EFFECTS

A SOCIAL WORKER’S PLACE IN THE SCHOOL

“School social workers are trained mental health professionals with a degree in social work

who provide services related to a person’s social, emotional, and life adjustment to school

and/or society. School social workers are the link between home, school, and community in

providing direct as well as indirect services to students, families, and school personnel to

promote and support students’ academic and social success.” - SSWAA

• Incorporating social and environmental contexts to assess individual needs and strengths

• Promoting sustainability of treatment outcomes

• Examining systems that may be supportive or dysfunctional

• Assessing client’s relationship with environment

• Understanding social and environmental effects on functioning and behavior

• Developing therapeutic relationships

• Creating treatment plans based on

client strengths

• Promoting sustainability of treatment

outcomes

• Empowering clients by developing

strengths and skills

PERSPECTIVES AND TRAINING

Strengths Perspective Social Ecological Perspective

ROLES AND SERVICES

Student Services

• Performing mental health assessments

• Developing social or developmental history

• Developing intervention strategies to increase academic engagement and success

• Providing counseling (individual, group, family)

• Providing crisis intervention

• Assisting with conflict resolution and behavior management

• Facilitating social-emotional learning and development

• Assisting children develop healthy self-concept and world view

Parent/Family Services

• Interviewing Families to assess problems affecting the child's educational adjustment

• Facilitating parental engagement and support in the child's school adjustment

• Addressing psychosocial learning barriers related to a child's living situation that affect functioning at school

• Connecting parents/families with school and community resources

School Personnel Services

• Developing and facilitating postive behavior intervention supports

• Providing staff with essential information to better under stand psychosocial factors (culture, societal, economic, familial, health, etc.) affecting a student's performance and behavior

• Developing professional development presentations related to mental/behavioral health

• Provide direct support to staff

• Provide consultation

• Assist in developing and implementing educational programs for exceptional children

MULTITIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT (MTSS)

• System of Care:

• Individualized, long-term intervetnion

• Special Education Services

• Referral and Coordination of Care

• Long-term therapy

• Juvenile Office

• Hospitalization

Tier 3 (5%)

• System of Early Intervention

• Selective and Indicated Interventions

• Short-term Counseling

• Behavior Plan and Support

• Family Support

• Monitoring Health Problems

• Learning/Behavior Accomodations (RtI)

Tier 2 (15-20%)

• System of Prevention

• Universal Screening

• Universal Interventions

• Health Education

• Social-Emotional Learning

• Recreation

• Enrichment

• Conflict Resolution

Tier 1

FUNDING SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICES

School Social Work

Special Education

Funds

Insurance Billing

Grants

• Absenteeism and Truancy

• Behavioral Incidents

• Disciplinary Referrals

• Drop-Out Rate

• Emotional Distress

• Bullying

• Violence

• Academic Success (Grades)

• Standardized Test Scores

• School Attendance

• Parent- and Teacher-Reported

Academic Performance

• Social and Emotional Skills

• Attitudes about School and Learning

• Academic Engagement

• Academic Motivation

OUTCOMES

Increased or Improved Decreased