Alton School District &
Wellspring Resources • Melinda Pacheco – School Based Mental
Health Specialist, Alton Middle School
• Sandy Crawford - Project Director, Safe
Schools/Healthy Students Initiative
• Four year Federal grant- 5 target
areas.
• Core Management Team
• Required Partners: Law
Enforcement, Juvenile Justice,
Mental Health (Wellspring
Resources) – expanded over time
SMH Goals
•To decrease problem behavior/emotional
barriers to learning, and increase academic
achievement for students .
•Early identification and intervention to resolve
problems for children and their families
•To assist parents, teachers, and counselors in
meeting daily needs of students
•To develop systems of support within the school
and community to resolve problems
Illinois Related Initiatives
Social Emotional
Learning
•
Individual social
skills instruction
Mental Health
•
•
•
•
Targeted social
skills instruction
•
•
•
•
•
SEL curriculum
School climate
assessment
•
•
Crisis counseling
Individual support
teams/plans
Psychiatric care
Group
counseling/support
groups
Staff & family
Coordinated referral
process/progress
monitoring
Mental Health
screening
Prevention/Wellness
promotion
Tier 3: Intensive
Positive Behavioral
Interventions and
Supports
Tier 2: Strategic
Restorative
Justice
•
•
•
•
Wraparound
Complex FBA/BIP
Individual planning
•
•
•
•
•
Brief FBA/BIP
•
Check-in/out
•
Check/Connect
Social academic
instructional groups
Peer Jury
Conferencing
Problem-solving
circles
School-wide behavior •
•
expectations
Acknowledge positive
behaviors
Data-based planning
Circles
Restorative chats
Tier 1: Universal
•
•
•
•
Family group
conferencing
Community
conferencing
School-Based Services Framework
Juvenile Justice
Law Enforcement
Recreational
Extra-curr. Services
Mental
Health /
Substance Abuse
Services
Child
and
Family
Early Childhood/
Parenting
After-School
Programs
Social
Services/SSW
Educational
Services
Health
Services
SMH Best Practice: Programs Include: MH Clinician
placed in 1 school providing prevention, early
intervention and intensive MH services
 Mental Health Services – 80% 
Individual Counseling
Family Counseling
Group Counseling
Crisis Intervention,
Screening and Assessment
Services (SASS)
Case management
Teacher/Staff Consultation
Early Intervention &
Prevention Services – 20%
 Staff In-Service Workshops
 Classroom Education
groups
 Parent workshops &
support groups
 Violence prevention
 In-school suspension
counseling
Best Practice - What Works?
SMH placed at 1 school 5 days per week
providing comprehensive services
SMH becomes part of full “school team”
Daily contact between SMH and school
administrative/ staff
Referrals to SMH from school intervention
team, parents and youth
Best Practice - What Works?
Confidentiality agreements between
parents, youth, school, service agencies
and organizations
All services provided with parental
permission
School/Community Intervention Team
helps plan comprehensive SMH program
WHY IT WORKS
True Partnerships Formed w/Schools
Close liaison with school staff
Earlier intervention
Comprehensive programs designed to
fit needs of school population
Education on MH/ATOD issues
Commitment to cost-share funding
WHY IT WORKS
True Partnerships Formed with Students &
Families
Parent/Youth voice for program planning
Students view MHC another school counselor
Parent/Youth appointments on site at school
No appointment needed for emergencies,
parental concerns, teacher/staff consultation
No stigma for child and family
How parents and youth benefit
 Parents :
Non-stigmatizing
Easy access
Eliminate problems
w/ transportation
Access to teacher &
student support
team
Crises Episodes
handled
immediately
 Students :
Normalizes school
experience for
student’s w/MH
diagnosis
Attend groups
w/peers
Support network at
school
Family involvement
more frequent
Benefits to Partnerships
• Systems communication/
familiarity
• Joint problem solving (wrap)
• Cross Training
• Find new ways to collaborate
• Avoid duplication of
effort/services
• Coordination of resources
• Positioning for funding
Challenges to Partnerships
•
•
•
•
•
•
Time Constraints
Resources, fragmented funds
Turnover in leadership, staff
History/past turf experiences
Language/jargon/legal differences
Differing missions/perspectives
Sustaining Partnerships
State Agency
Directors
CMT
Advocacy
Groups
SS/HS
Mental
Health
Programs
Community
Partners
Local
Businesses/
Coalitions
City/
County
Councils
Youth
School
District
Faith Based
Partnerships can grow…
Parents
Funding SMH
 School districts/partners/govt.
 Title I,PBIS, IDEA
 District & school budgets
 partner organizations/special taxes
(Health,Prevention)
 Realign staff to provide various SMH functions
 Function vs. positions, rethink staff roles and
determine functions to provide
 Interns (master level), volunteers (mentors)
Partnership Strategies
• Review protocols, procedures, trainings, and
policies
• Meet with administrative & support staff
regularly. Clarify roles.
• Review program at least once a year or if
aligned to student outcomes, every semester
• Communicate and celebrate positive outcome
data. Feedback to referral sources
Melinda Pacheco, MSW
• School Based Mental Health Specialist, Alton
Middle School/Wellspring Resources
2615 Edwards St.
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 462-2331
mpacheco@altonschools.org
mpacheco@wellspringsresources.co
Sandy Crawford, MSW
Project Director, Safe Schools/Healthy Students
Initiative
Alton Community Unit School District # 11
2512 Amelia St.
Alton, IL 62002
(618)433-4907
scrawford@altonschools.org