Evidence-Informed Mental Health Prevention, Assessment, Collaboration, and Treatment in Middle Schools
University of Virginia
Summary
This study will assess how different types of training and support influence the way that school staff understand, and respond to, the mental and behavioral health needs of middle school students. Researchers will work with middle schools using a developed screening system (called the Early Identification System; EIS) and compare how staff and student outcomes change when schools receive two different types of training and support: 1) standard onboarding/training versus 2) participating in professional learning communities and coaching.
Description
The "Evidence-Informed Mental health Prevention, Assessment, Collaboration, \& Treatment in Middle Schools" (E-IMPACTS) project will evaluate how different implementation supports promote the ability of school staff to identify, and support, the mental and behavioral health needs of middle school students. The project will involve researchers from the University of Virginia, University of Missouri, and University of South Carolina and middle schools (i.e., grades 6-8) that have elected to use a brief, universal tool, called the Early Identification System (EIS). The EIS assesses mental and be…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 10–99 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Public middle schools (must include grades 6-8) planning to implement the EIS * Located in rural areas, towns, \& suburbs / cities (NCES locales) * All children attending the schools and staff employed by the schools are eligible for inclusion Exclusion Criteria: * Previous use of EIS (i.e., use of all screening data and intervention hub) * \<70% response rate on pre-intervention implementation of EIS
Interventions
- BehavioralEIS Only
The EIS Only Condition includes middle schools who have elected to implement the EIS. The EIS: * Is an online tool to that enables schools to identify students in need of additional mental or behavioral health support and provides recommendations for evidence-based practices. * Asks teachers and students to report on 7 areas of student social-emotional functioning * Facilitates schools' understanding of social-emotional student needs and recommended evidence-based practices at a variety of levels (e.g., school-, grade-, and individual-level). EIS Only Condition supports include: * Technical assistance professional development sessions to support the implementation of EIS and schoolwide practices related to identifying and supporting student mental health needs. * Individualized technical assistance for schools to support EIS implementation.
- BehavioralEIS + ECHO
EIS + ECHO supports include supports from the EIS Only condition plus: * Monthly ECHO sessions for student support teams (SSTs; e.g., interdisciplinary groups of staff tasked to support student mental health). The ECHO experience involves: * Didactic training to support EIS implementation and effective identification and support of student mental and behavioral health needs. * Case-based learning and collaborative problem-solving related to EIS implementation and effective identification and support of student mental and behavioral health needs. * Collaboration with colleagues in schools that are also implementing the EIS. * Opportunities to consult with university faculty and content experts in school mental health. * Individualized SST coaching supports to facilitate the implementation of mental and behavioral health practices and strategies discussed during ECHO sessions.
Locations (3)
- University of MissouriColumbia, Missouri
- University of South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
- University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia