Mental Health in Schools: Resources, Publications, and Upcoming Initiatives, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Social Work

Download Mental Health in Schools: Resources, Publications, and Upcoming Initiatives and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Social Work in PDF only on Docsity! ENEWS: A Monthly Forum for Sharing and Interchange February, 2004 (Vol. 8 #5) Source: UCLA SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT/ CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS WHAT IS ENEWS? (For those who don’t know) This is another link for those concerned with enhancing policies, programs, and practices related to addressing barriers to student learning and to promoting mental health in schools. It augments the other ways our Center shares information and facilitates interchange/networking. <><><><><><><> Feel Free to Forward This to Anyone <><<><><><><><><><><><><><> WHAT’S HERE THIS MONTH **Emerging Issue > Critical Incidents Stress Debriefing Revisited **News from Around the Country **This Month’s Focus for Schools to Address Barriers to Learning >February – The Mid-Point of a School Year – Report Cards & Conferences: Another Barrier or a Challenging Opportunity? **Recent Publications Relevant to >Children’s Mental and Physical Health >Family, Schools & Communities >Policy, Law, Ethics, Finances & Statistics **Upcoming Initiatives, Conferences & Workshops **Calls for Grant Proposals, Presentations & Papers **Updates from the two National Centers focusing on Mental Health in Schools **Other Helpful Resources **Training & Job Opportunities (including fellowships and scholarships) **Requests/Information/Comments/Questions from the Field <><><><><> To post messages to ENEWS, E-mail them to smhp@ucla.edu If you were sent ENEWS indirectly, you can be added to our list at no charge by sending an E-mail request to Listserv@lists.ucla.edu. Leave the subject line blank and in the body of the message type Subscribe mentalhealth-L. To remove your name from the mailing list type Unsubscribe mentalhealth-L. <><><><><><> **Emerging Issue >>>>Critical Incidents Stress Debriefing Revisited Two recent articles in general circulation criticize prevailing approaches to counseling right after tragedies occur. One article is in the New Yorker ( by Jerome Groopman, January, 2004); it discusses what the author refers to as the GRIEF INDUSTRY and asks: How much does crisis counseling help——or hurt? Online at http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040126fa_fact The other article entitled: “Rethinking Trauma Talk” appears in Youth Today (Dec./Jan., 2004). http://www.youthtoday.org/youthtoday/story1.html The gist of both is that recent research suggests that “The techniques practiced by most American grief counselors to prevent PTSD are inert” and that crisis intervention teams “do little or no good” in reducing PTSD symptoms. On the other side of the issue are those who point to the positive feedback from so many who feel they were helped. And, with specific respect to schools, the following caution is offered by William Modzeleski, the assoc. deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. “Research tells some of the story, but it doesn’t tell all of the story. One thing we clearly know from all these disasters is: There are kids that are hurting, there are faculty who are hurting and there are parents who are hurting. Without some help, teaching and learning can’t take place.” >>>Where do you weigh in on this? We look forward to your comments (ltaylor@ucla.edu). We will post them on our website’s Net Exchange at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu for others to read and respond. @#@#@#@# **NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY >DECREASES IN CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING Between 1999 and 2002, “behavioral and emotional problems worsened (from 6% to 7% for 6 to 11 year olds; from 7% to 8% for 12 to 17 year olds) ... school-age children became strikingly less engaged in their schoolwork (drop from 41% to 34% for 6 to 11 year olds; down from 38% to 30% for 12 to 17 year olds).” Snapshots of America’s Families, 1/9/04 (http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=310912) >SCHOOL RESOURCES AND STUDENT BEHAVIOR ARE RELATED “Schools with fully functioning libraries and modern computers average better attendance. Schools with higher percentages of inexperienced teachers and schools where teachers are absent more often tend to have more suspensions. Students, regardless of race or income, tend to do better in schools with adequate resources.” John Beam, National Center for Schools and Communities at Fordham University (New York Times, 1/20/04) >UNRULY STUDENTS FACING ARREST RATHER THAN DETENTION “In cities and suburbs around the country, schools are increasingly sending students into the juvenile justice system for the sort of adolescent misbehavior that used to be handled by school administrators.... In Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and Florida, juvenile court judges are complaining that their courtrooms are at risk of behavior overwhelmed by student misconduct cases that should be handled in the schools.” (New York Times, 1/4/04) >SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY UPHOLDS CONSENT DECREE DELINEATING EARLY PERIODIC SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT SERVICES In the case of Frew v. Hawkins, the United States Supreme Court unanimously upheld a consent decree agreed to by Texas state officials that spells out in detail what must be involved in Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) in the state. The Court ruled that the decree "should be enforced according to its terms" and sent the case back to Texas courts for further proceedings. >>>POLICY, LAW, ETHICS, FINANCES & STATISTICS “Who helps public schools: A portrait of local education funds” L. Lampkin & D. Stern (http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=410915) “Recanting of substance use reports in a longitudinal prevention study” (2003) M Fendrich & D. Rosenbaum. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 70(3) 241-253. “State Funded Pre-Kindergarten: What the Evidence Shows” (2004) http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/state- funded-pre-k/index.htm “State Minor Consent Laws: A Summary (2nd edition)” (2003) Center for Adolescent Health and the Law. (Http://www.cahl.org) “Grant Foundation Reports on Afterschool: Implications for policy and practice” (2004) http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org. “Juvenile Arrests 2001" (2004) http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/Publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11222 (Note: The Quick Find topic search menu on our website is updated regularly with new reports and publications such as those listed above. Currently there are over 100 topics with direct links to our Center materials and to other online resources and related centers. Http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu) – Let us know about publications and reports that should be shared. @#@#@#@# “There is all the difference in the world between having something to say and having to say something.” John Dewey @#@#@#@# **UPCOMING INITIATIVES, CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS >Pilots to Policy Conference: Bold Changes: A Shared Responsibility for Children and Families, Feb 4-5, Los Angeles, CA (http://www.foundationconsortium.org) >Child Welfare League of American, Feb 23-25, Washington, DC (http://www.cwla.org) >System of Care for Children’s Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base, Feb. 29-Mar 3, Tampa, FL. (Http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu) >Resiliency in Action: “Tools for Moving Children, Families & Schools from Stressed to Success”, Mar 4, Los Angeles, CA (http://www.resiliency.com/) >Leadership Development Conference on School, Family, and Community Partnerships, Mar 12-13 Baltimore, MD (http://www.partnershipschools.org) >National Children’s Advocacy Center Symposium on Child Abuse, Mar 16-19, Huntsville, AL (http://www.nationalcac.org/Symposium04/Brochure/main.htm) >Summer Learning for All: Programs, Policy, and Research, Mar 18-19, Baltimore, MD (http://www.summerlearning.org) >National Youth Leadership Council: National Service-Learning Conference, Mar 28-31, Orlando, FL. (Http://www.nylc.org) >National Adolescent Conference, Mar 31-April 3, Newport Beach, CA (http://www.bfisummit.com) >Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, April 28-May 1, Portland, OR. (Http://www.nlc.org). >Violence in the world of our youth: Partners in Prevention, April 30 - May 1, San Diego, CA (http://www.fvsai.org) >9th Annual Conference on Advancing School-Based Mental Health, Center for School Mental Health Assistance, October 7-9, 2004, Dallas, Texas >Persistently Safe Schools, Oct 27-29, Washington, DC (http://www.hamfish.org) (For more conference announcements, refer to our website at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu – Go to Contents, then click on Upcoming Conferences. If you want to list your conference, please email ltaylor@ucla.edu) ########## “Let each of us aspire to inspire, before we expire.” Albert Clarke Jr. ############# **CALLS FOR GRANT PROPOSALS, PRESENTATIONS & PAPERS >GRANTS: **See the “electronic storefront” for Federal Grants at http://www.grants.gov >>Health Resources and Services Administration >>School Based Health Centers (HRSA-04-033) Due 5/1 http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/preview/primary.htm#hrsa04033 >>Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (http://www.samhsa.gov) >>Statewide Consumer Network Grants (SM-04-003) Due 2/25 >>Statewide Family Network Grants (SM-04-004) Due 2/25 >>National Institute of Health (http://grants1.nih.gov) >>Effectiveness, Practice, and Implementation in CMHS’s Children’s Services Sites (PA-04-019) Deadlines June 1, October 1, and Feb 1. (Note: If you want to Surf the Internet for Funds, go to http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu. Click on Quick Find, Scroll down Center Responses to FINANCING AND FUNDING. Provides links to funding sources and our Quick Training Aid on Financing Strategies to Address Barriers to Learning) >CALLS FOR PROPOSALS >>Abstracts for the November 6-10 School Health Education and Services section of the American Public Health Association conference in Washington, DC. Oral presentations and posters on the health and well being of young people in k-12 school settings. Due Feb 5. (Http://www.apha.org/meetings) >>Application to submit a program for the American School Health Association conference October 13-17 in Pittsburgh, PA. Deadline Feb 13. (Http://www.ashaweb.org/conferences.html) ############### “There is always a moment in a child’s life when the door opens and lets the future in.” Graham Greene ##################### **UPDATES FROM THE TWO NATIONAL CENTERS FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS ^ ^ ^ Updates from our Center at UCLA **Integrating Agenda for Mental Health in Schools into the Recommendations of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health By now, if you are on our mailing list, you should have received the free Winter 2004 hardcopy newsletter from our center. The issue is devoted entirely to presenting the first draft of a brief prepared by the two national centers. The intent is to provide ideas to those charged with operationalizing the recommendations of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health about where mental health in schools fits in. We are seeking responses from all stakeholders about the formulation presented in the newsletter. Let us hear from you (email ltaylor@ucla.edu). If you haven’t received your copy yet, go to the Center website and click on “Free Quarterly Newsletter – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu. We are also preparing a number of briefs for various stakeholders related to the New Freedom Commission intent to transform the mental health system. Available online and in hardcopy so far are: >>>“Mental Health of Children and Youth: The Important Role of Primary Care Health Professionals” http://www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/primarycare/primarycarehealth.pdf >>>“Mental Health of Children and Youth and the Role of Public Health Professionals” http://www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/publicpolicybrief/roleofpublichealthprofs.pdf (Related to all this, we might note that the UCLA Center Co-Directors will be facilitating a special leadership training session at the AMCHP conference on Feb 29th on “Youth Mental Health and Public Health: A Leadership Training Session for MCH Professionals.” ) **New Directions for Student Support Summits Initiative The initiative continues to add co-sponsors (there are now 28 organizations co-sponsoring the Summits Initiative). To see the list go to our website and click on the green button that takes you to the Summits materials. The list of state interested in organizing a state summit is growing. The California Summit is scheduled for February and the Indiana Summit is scheduled for April. A Rhode Island summit is in the initial stages of forming a local planning group. A special feature of the California Summit will be a preview of legislation an Assembly member is proposing for a Comprehensive Student Learning Support System in all California Schools. A working draft of the legislation is available by contacting ltaylor@ucla.edu Center Impact Evaluation We have begun the process of conducting our Center’s annual impact evaluation. We already are calling and interviewing a sample of Center users. The next hardcopy newsletter will have an evaluation form inserted, the listserv will receive an electronic version of the evaluation form; the form also will be on the website. We need and appreciate your input as we continue to improve our efforts and also to make the strongest possible case for continuing the work of the national centers for mental health in schools. Other New and Recent Resources – Online and available in hard copy “Revisiting Learning & Behavior Problems: Moving Schools Forward” This is material that can be used for in-depth staff development or preprofessional teaching. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/contedu/revisitinglearning.pdf “Youngsters' Mental Health and Pyschosocial Problems: What are the Data?” http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/prevalence/youthMH.pdf “Addressing Barriers to Learning: A Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health in Schools” http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/ceaddressing/ceforchange.pdf Recent Publication by Center Staff do this without having to label a child in order to receive services.” “As a psychologist, I have found psychometrics to be quite helpful not only in diagnosing LD (or ruling them out), but also in assisting with differential diagnoses. Often the real question is whether academic problems were noticed early and whether testing was conducted in a timely manner. I have worked with many children who had been struggling for years before school staff responded. Often the response was initiated by a clinician. As with any field, there is great disparity in the quality of reports.” “The question is not whether Response to Intervention can replace the present special education system of Learning Disabled evaluation and placement. RTI is first and foremost a general education issue. If we develop initiatives to respond to student needs before they fall into a pattern of early learning failure, we will significantly reduce the number of children who need a label to access special education services. The need for early intervention and the benefits for individual children, families, schools, and society is no longer debatable.... The debatable issue is whether RTI models of considering LD eligibility are better than our historic use of the discrepancy model. The answer is: It depends on the quality of the intervention model. If a school has a model of early learning support (intervention), which is available to all students, and which effectively intervenes to help students and their teachers, we will see fewer children who need LD or other labels. The students who have been given quality support and still do not respond are more likely to be truly learning disabled. You can see how important the quality of intervention is in such a model....” @#@@# THIS IS THE END OF THIS ISSUE OF ENEWS Below is a brief description of our Center at UCLA. For more see our website at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu Who are we? Under the auspices of the School Mental Health Project in the Department of Psychology at UCLA we established a Center for Mental Health in Schools in 1995. The Project and Center are co-directed by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor. The UCLA Center is one of two national centers funded in October, 1995, by the Office of Adolescent Health, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration (Project #U93MC00175). Both Centers were refunded in October, 2000, for a 5 year cycle, with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services joining HRSA as a co-funder. As sister Centers, the Center at UCLA and the one at the University of Maryland provide support (training and technical assistance) for mental health and psychosocial concerns in schools. Our group at UCLA approaches mental health concerns from the broad perspective of addressing barriers to learning and promoting healthy development. Activities include gathering and disseminating information, materials, development, direct assistance, and facilitating networking and exchanges of ideas. We demonstrate the catalytic use of technical assistance, internet, publications, resource materials, and retional and national meetings to stimulate interest in program and systemic change. Specific attention is given to policies and strategies that can (a) counter fragmentation and enhance collaboration between school and community programs, and (b) counter the marginalization of mental health in schools. Center staff are involved in model development and implementation, training and technical assistance, and policy analysis. We focus on interventions that range from systems for healthy development and problem prevention through treatment for severe problems and stress the importance of school improvement and systemic change. There is an emphasis on enhancing collaborative activity that braids together school and community resources. The Center work to enhance network building for program expansion and systemic change and does catalytic training to stimulate interest in such activity. We connect with major initiatives of foundations, associations, governmental, and school and mental health departments. Evaluations indicate the Center has had considerable impact in strengthening the network of professionals advancing the field of mental health in schools and in changing policies and practices. For more information about the Center or about ENEWS, contact Center Coordinator Perry Nelson or Center Co-Directors Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor at: UCLA, School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095=1563 Phone (310) 825-3634; Toll Free (866) 846-4843; Fax (310) 206-8716 email: smhp@ucla.edu; Website: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu