Innovative Mental Health
Programs In Schools...Doing A
Lot With A Little
WCASS Spring 2015
Presented by:
Randy Hughes, CESA 6
Don Evans, Oshkosh School Distict
Donnell Pagel, Special Education Supervisor- Stevens Point
Greg Nyen, Director - Stevens Point
Kristi King Nelson-MA
Day Treatment and Clinical Services Director
Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic
Classroom Management
OR
Mental Health Needs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30tHHmIobds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7bGv7LPL4Y
Quick Facts and Examples:
20% of Children Ages 13-18...
13% of Children Ages 8-15...
1 in 4 Adults…
...have a mental health Dx
(NAMI 2015)
Stevens Point Area Public School
District Facts:
~7500 students PK-12
~1100 students have reported mental health Dx
~15% of the population
~512 certified teachers in the District
Question: Of the 512 teachers in the District, how
many, would you guess, have been specifically
trained to deal with the mental health needs of
students?
Schools and teachers have not typically
been equipped or trained to understand,
support, and educate the classrooms of
diverse learners found in today’s schools.
Question: Why don’t we just put them in
Special Education?
The Big 5…
ADD/H
Depression
Anxiety
Anger
Social Stuntedness
Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder
INATTENTION
Careless mistakes
Rushes through work
Procrastinates to finish assignments
Does the assignment but forgets to turn it in
Loses items (eraser, pencil etc)
Desk/ Locker is disorganized/messy
Day dreamer
Needs to be told the same instruction multiple times
Anxiety & Depression
Impact/Signs of Depression
Mood
Perspective
Sleep
Weight
Energy
Concentration
Vague Physical Complaints
Anxiety
Signs of Anxiety
Excessive Worries
Strange Rituals
Irritability
Frequent headaches, stomachaches, somatic
complaints…
‘Shy bladder’
Panic attacks
Dissociation
Easily startled
Nightmares
Anger
Social Oddness
May be the result of:
★ Abuse/Trauma
★ Intellectual Disability
★ Autism Spectrum
★ Schizophrenia
Programming/Mental Health
Supports in Schools
Recent Flexibility DHS Provided Wisconsin
Public Schools (DQA Memo-13-20)
● Allows branch offices to be established in
schools
● No funds from DPI to support
partnership
Mental Health Therapists in
Schools Allows for…
● Flexibility in scheduling
● Less student loss of instruction
● Reduces transportation
● Reduces transitions
● Increases collaboration
Stevens Point Area Public School
District
Mental Health Therapists
• MOU (Space Agreement - included)
• Eleven elementary schools
expanding to all
Fox City United Way Path Program
● MOU
● PATH = Providing Access to Healing
● Provide a master’s level therapists at
each school throughout the school
year in order to provide consistency
in therapy and build relationships
with students, parents, teachers, and
other school personnel.
Fox City United Way Path Program
Offer mental health therapy to students in the target
population as referred by participating school districts and
provide the following core services:
● Assessment
● Treatment
● Communication - with school personnel being
served by the program
● Staff Development
● Necessary referrals to psychiatrists, primary care
physicians, and other provider organizations as
needed.
Northwest Day Treatment/SPAPSD
Collaboration-Bridges Program
●
SPAPSD provides EBD Teacher to Day Treatment
setting to provide education
●
Day Treatment provides Mental Health Professional
to education setting to assist with interventions
●
Education: morning session elementary-afternoon
secondary
●
School provided credit equal to full time teacher
salary for unfunded children
Northwest Day Treatment/SPAPSD
Collaboration-Bridges Program Cont…
● Family, small group, individual counseling
● Frequent meetings with Day Treatment,
SPAPSD staff from Bridges/student’s home
school, and County Health Human Services
Staff
● Transition from Day Treatment to Bridges
and Bridges to home school student driven
handouts MOU, Bridges Process, Northwest Journey SPAPSD Criteria
Encompass Program Oshkosh Area School
District
●
Encompass-Self-contained classroom
●
Sped Students with significant mental health needs not
suceessful in self-contained EBD
●
Highly structured environment
●
Climate that fosters a strong sense of belongingness
Encompass Program Oshkosh Area School
District Cont…
●
Love and Logic
●
Beyond Diversity
●
Choice Language
●
Morning Meetings
●
Restorative Justice
●
Capturing Kids Hearts
CESA # 6 Fox Valley Catalpa Health
Program
Day Treatment Program:
Level II Day Treatment - as defined by State
•
Full Day Program
• Two Age Tracks 7th - 9th, 10th - 12th
• Multidisciplinary, Holistic Approach - focus on
mental health and physical wellness
• Strong Family Component
• Case Management and Care Coordination
The day treatment curriculum uses socialization and recreation
therapy in addition to individual, family, and group
psychotherapy.
CESA # 6 Fox Valley Catalpa
Health Program
Day School Program:
The purpose of the day school is to
provide an educational opportunity for
students coming from intensive in and
outpatient services in conjunction with
Catalpa Health day treatment.
CESA # 6 Fox Valley Catalpa Health
Program
Day School Program:
Framework:
● more immediate feedback provided to student
● highly individualized curricular alternatives
● highly structured environment to address behavioral and
mental needs
● ongoing communication and collaboration with home
school district and frequent communication with parents
● transitional planning to ensure student success
Residential Placement
(End of the Continuum)
Need for more intensive intervention
•
All stakeholders involved - IEP team
•
County/parent placement
•
Agreement School District/County funding
Professional Development
●
Portage County Mental Health Initiative
●
Parent Training/Outreach
●
DPI Mental Health Grants
Increase capacity through professional
development -2,000 grant
Establish mental health services- 125,000 grant
Wrap-Up
Questions