School Community Partnership for
Mental Health
Milwaukee Wisconsin
Audrey Potter, PhD
potteral35@gmail.com
Something to Consider…
Take two minutes
and build a story
that could explain
how these
footprints
were made.
Focus in Our Work
School Community Partnership for Mental Health
Historical background 2003-2009

Study by The Counseling Center of Milwaukee (Pathfinders)
showed poor access to mental health services for youth

There is no cohesive system to allow community mental health
providers to collaborate with schools and families to meet the
mental health needs of students

Milwaukee’s high poverty rate, the cultural stigma of mental
illness and high levels of bussing result in families having great
difficulty accessing mental health services and collaboration with
the schools

Reimbursement policies and rates create barriers
School/Agency Collaboration

Developed model which parallels MPS efforts
- Positive Behavioral Intervention System (PBIS)
- Three-tiered system of instructional and behavioral
supports (including social-emotional skill development)
- Enhanced parent engagement
 Education of agencies and school staff on common goals, terms
and evidence-based strategies
2009 – Present

Four community-based agencies joined with four Milwaukee
Public Schools

Necessary steps:
-Support of unions
-Convey information to and request support from
community funders
-Develop and implement research regarding outcomes
-Design referral system for services

Community health workers at schools

School-based project coordinator and agency coordinator
Milwaukee/Wisconsin Partners


Agencies Involved:
Youth Mental Health Connections/The Counseling Center of
Milwaukee (Pathfinders)/Milwaukee Public Schools/Milwaukee
Health Department/UW-Milwaukee School of Public Health/
Milwaukee County/Medical College of Wisconsin/Department
of Health and Human Services for Wisconsin/HMOs/Planning
Council for Health and Human Services/Greater Milwaukee
Foundation/Kubly Foundation/Faye McBeath/MPS Safe
Schools-Healthy Students
Model Design

Designed model to:
-integrate community-based mental health agencies into
schools to provide consultation & direct services
-train school staff and parents about conditions/activities
that support mental health and school success
-coordinate care with primary health care providers,
psychiatrists, agency providers and schools
-develop policy and financial solutions that support
increased mental health services
SCPMH Targeted Outcomes

Sooner than typical access to consultation and therapeutic
services from community mental health providers

More than typical number of contacts (9) with mental health
providers resulting in fewer symptoms or mental health concerns

Increased teacher consultation with mental health providers

Improvement in attendance and reduction in suspensions for
identified students

Improvement in academic achievement of identified students
Connection to Transition

Improved social and emotional skills

Greater likelihood of positive relationship with significant adult

Greater school success

Improved parent/teacher/school interactions

Greater self-advocacy