Student Services/Prevention and Wellness

---

Mental Health

Schools in Wisconsin are working to understand and respond to student mental health needs. Below are a few selected resources useful for schools working to improve mental health among students.

Background/Analysis on Mental Health-Related Services in Wisconsin Schools

Workshop for Pupil Services, Health Educator, and Administrator training

Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools to Improve Learning: A Response to Intervention (RtI) Model

Global Appraisal of Individual Needs - Short Screener (GAIN-SS)

Mental Health Units of Instruction: Mental Illness Awareness

Toolkit to Support the Mental Health of Students

Guidance and Resources Related to Seclusion and Physical Restraint

Mental Health Services for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

• Background and Screening Protocol.
  This is the companion document to the webcast and PowerPoint below.
  
  
• Mental Health Needs of Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing--Background and a Screening Protocol
  This webcast proposes a number of first steps that Pupil Services professionals can take to help identify and meet the socio-emotional needs of students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The viewer will recognize the range of hearing loss and be ready to gather information from multiple sources in order to best understand the current status of a student's hearing loss and communication needs.
  
  
• PowerPoint Presentation
  PowerPoint slides from the webcast "Mental Health Needs of Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing--Background and a Screening Protocol".

Mental Health Webcasts

Educators are invited to view a series of webcasts with important information about working with students who have mental health challenges. The webcasts are hosted by the Department of Public Instruction staff with a series of guest mental health experts.

Mental Health Disorders in Children and Adolescents
This webcast will inform teachers about the warning signs of mental health disorders and how they may be manifested within the classroom and school settings. Both externalizing and internalizing symptoms will be discussed. Teachers will be encouraged to contact a pupil services professional within their respective schools for further information, possible screening or evaluation, and referral.

In Our Shoes: Toward an Understanding of Families Raising a Child with Mental Health Needs
Families with children with mental disorders experience significant challenges on a daily basis. This presentation is designed to help teachers and other educators understand what these challenges are and how they can best interact with parents to provide better educational services to their children. Information will also be shared on the different kinds of mental disorders, prevalence rates, and how to obtain additional information and training.

Safe Schools: Trauma-Sensitive Schools Part 1 - Understanding Childhood Trauma
This presentation defines trauma and describes its prevalence and impact on children and adolescents.

Safe Schools: Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools Part 2 - Steps to Implementing Trauma Sensitive Practice into the School Environment
This webcast shares steps to creating a trauma-sensitive school, how to get started, and self care for adults.

Children's Mental Health Collaborative of Dane County
This webcast shares 1) how Dane County schools and community organizations are collaborating around mental health to support students, families and schools, and 2) explores strategies for starting a local school-community mental health collaborative.

Safe Schools: Crisis Intervention - How to Support People Coping with Loss
This webcast shares strategies to help students cope with loss, supports to provide to all students following a loss, and a debriefing process to follow with students who are more heavily affected by the loss.

Safe Schools: Understanding and Responding to Self-Injury
This presentation provides school professionals accurate information about self-injurious behaviors to reduce the stigma associated with it, and offers effective strategies for helping self-injuring students deal safely with painful emotions and self-injurious urges.

Safe Schools: Behavioral Health Recovery After Crisis Situations
This webcast shares key concepts of disaster behavioral health, children's reaction to community trauma, the schools’ role in disaster/crisis recovery efforts, and information about Project Recovery, a FEMA Crisis Counseling Program responding to Wisconsin floods.

Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener (GAIN-SS)
The GAIN-SS is an evidence-based, brief survey developed by Chestnut Health Systems that identifies needs for further assessment in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and anger management for adolescents and adults. This webcast will supply viewers with the necessary knowledge and skills to complete the hard-copy or electronic versions of this instrument.

Safe Schools: Youth Suicide Prevention for Schools
This webcast discusses relevant data about youth suicide in Wisconsin, risk factors, early and late warning signs, and suggests methods for dealing with suicidal students, including ACT: Acknowledge, Care, and Tell. ACT is a central skill taught in an evidence-based youth suicide prevention program called SOS - Signs of Suicide. SOS has been shown to reduce suicidal acts in youth. It is also an important skill for adults to know and be able to do.

For questions about this information, contact Nic T. Dibble (608) 266-0963

Last updated on 5/22/2012 11:09:36 AM