Schools Archives - Page 4 of 8 - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)

RWJF Issue Brief: Applying an Equity Lens to Social, Emotional, and Academic Development

July 20, 2018 | Emily Taylor

A new issue brief from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, “Applying an Equity Lens to Social, Emotional, and Academic Development,” addresses the need for grounding Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in a larger context of equity and justice efforts within public education. The brief outlines the barriers that may prevent students of color and other and other marginalized youth from developing social and emotional competencies, and several initiatives that can help. The authors also include recommendations for research, policy and practice.

Read the issue brief»

Preventing Youth Suicide: Tips for Parents & Educators

June 21, 2018 | Emily Taylor

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has a tip sheet designed to help parents and educators recognize suicide risk factors and warning signs. The tip sheet outlines recommended immediate actions to take to keep youth safe, if these risk factors or warning signs are observed. Links to additional resources are also provided.

Read the tip sheet on youth suicide prevention»

School-Based Mental Health Centers Play Vital Role For Hispanic And Black Students

June 13, 2018 | Emily Taylor

This recent article highlights the impact of the 120 school-based health centers in Connecticut. According to recent research, Hispanic and black students may continue with school-based counseling longer than with providers in the community. In addition to one-on-one counseling, some Connecticut schools also offer group therapy as part of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools program. In the state, this 10-session group therapy program 70 percent of participants are typically Hispanic, and 20 percent black participants, and roughly 50 percent of participants are males.

Read the article about school-based mental health centers»

New Brief: Preparing for Effective SEL Implementation

May 30, 2018 | Emily Taylor

Part of a series commissioned by the Wallace Foundation, this brief written by members of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s EASEL Lab, provides information on effective implementation of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. It describes the common features of the most effective SEL programs based on research findings, and provides specific implementation guidelines for schools and other organizations to consider when planning the introduction of a new SEL program.

Download the brief»

Research: School-Based Mental Health Services Effective

May 14, 2018 | Emily Taylor

A study published recently in Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that school-based mental health services delivered by teachers and staff can significantly reduce mental health problems in elementary-aged children. The researchers reviewed 43 studies involving nearly 50,000 children who had received school-based mental health services. One of the methods the research showed to be especially effective is blending behavioral and mental health services into classroom instruction.

Read more about the research study on school-based mental health services»

Resource for Schools: After a Suicide

April 24, 2018 | Emily Taylor

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) has published the 2nd edition of its After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools to assist middle and high schools in implementing a coordinated response to the suicide death of a student. The toolkit was developed in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and in consultation with national experts, including school-based administrators and staff, clinicians, researchers, and crisis response professionals. It is designed primarily for administrators and staff but can also be useful for parents and communities.

Download the toolkit»

New CHDI Report on Mid-Level Development Assessment

January 22, 2018 | Emily Taylor

The Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) has published a new report on the use of Mid-level Development Assessment (MLDA) to identify mild to moderate behavioral and developmental concerns in children younger than 6. This assessment tool is intended to ensure that children who don’t meet the criteria for pubicly funded interventions are still connected to services to address their needs.

Read the announcement about the report»
Access the full report»

Transitioning Back to School and After-school Programs After a Mental Health Crisis

January 12, 2018 | Emily Taylor

In a post on Youthtoday.org, Kamala Joy, program manager for family and youth at Via Hope in Austin, Texas, offers recommendations for supporting positive re-entry for youth transitioning back to school following an extended absence for mental health treatment. As an example, she describes Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT), an approach used in Massachusetts. BRYT includes meeting with the student, parents, student’s psychologist along with the school nurse and and a school administrator to plan and prepare for the transition and support the student during and after the transition.

Read the article»

Why foster care students in Seattle are beating the odds

January 4, 2018 | Emily Taylor

NPR recently profiled the success of Treehouse, a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives of foster youth, in their efforts to increase high school graduation rates. In 2010, the high school graduation rate for youth in foster care in Seattle and King County, Washington was 36 percent. In 2012, Treehouse started assigning “education specialists” who work with students to support them in identifying and reaching their goals. Last year, 89 percent of the eligible students in the Treehouse program graduated within five years.

Read more about the Treehouse program»

Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports

December 8, 2017 | Emily Taylor

Child Trends has published a report on Integrated Student Supports (ISS) initiatives which help schools connect children with needed services (housing, medical care, food assistance, etc.) in order to support their academic success. Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports is an update on the developments in the field since 2014, when Child Trends first published a report on the topic. This 2017 report includes details on the growing number of evaluation studies on these programs and examples of successful implementation in specific cities.

Read about the report»