Training & Technical Assistance

Project Staff:

• Nancy Lever, UMB Co-Principal Investigator/State Community of Practice/Policy Lead
• Sharon Hoover, UMB Principal Investigator
• Jill Bohnenkamp, Lead Evaluator
• Elizabeth Connors, CoIIN Lead and Improvement Advisor
• Shawn Orenstein, Program and Policy Analyst
• Sam Reaves, Research Associate
• Perrin Robinson, Communications Manager
• Taneisha Carter, Senior Research Assistant
• Sylvia Huntley, Meeting Manager
• Christina Huntley, Program Assistant

Funding Source:

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)

Project Partners:

The School Based Health Alliance (SBHA), The Center for Health and Healthcare in Schools (CHHCS)

Project Description:

The School-Based Health Alliance (“The Alliance”) and the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) were jointly awarded a cooperative agreement from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) at the Health Resources and Services Administration to lead innovation and improvement in quality of care through school-based health services. The two organizations are eager to build on the momentum of the previous four years leading the School Health Services National Quality Initiative (NQI), and work collaboratively with their partners, including the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools at George Washington University, project advisors, and school health providers from across the nation to ensure the highest quality of care for children and adolescents receiving services in schools.

The 5-year agreement supports the partnering organizations’ efforts to improve the quality of care delivered by school-based health centers (SBHCs) and comprehensive school mental health systems (CSMHSs) nationwide. The Alliance, the NCSMH, and our partners will:

• Review and refine current national performance measures;
• Conduct three quality improvement collaboratives of cohorts comprising SBHCs and CSHMHs
• Facilitate a Community of Practice for state agencies and state-level organizations to accelerate and spread innovation and improvement in quality care, best business practices, and policies to support school health services sustainability and growth;
• Provide technical assistance to SBHCs, CSMHSs, and schools not participating in CoIIN cohorts, encouraging adoption of CoIIN-generated strategies and innovations;
• Integrate contemporary and emerging child and adolescent behavioral health topics, issues and conditions (e.g., adverse childhood experiences, opioid use) and emerging practices (e.g., telehealth, trauma-informed practices, restorative justice, social/emotional learning) in performance measure refinement, screening tools, implementation guidance, webinar series, and resources; and
• Support states to effectively assess and address social determinants of health in school-based health services.

Currently, the states of Nevada, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Ohio,  Minnesota, and Arizona are working in our national Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (CoIIN) to improve school health services.

As part of the NQI, the NCSMH has developed the National School Mental Health Census and Performance Measures, which are available through the SHAPE System at www.theshapesystem.com.

Publication about school mental health performance measurement:
Connors, E. H., Stephan, S. H., Lever, N., Ereshefsky, S., Mosby, A., & Bohnenkamp, J. (2016). A national initiative to advance school mental health performance measurement in the US. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 9(1), 50–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/1754730X.2015.1123639

Contact:

Shawn Orenstein, sorenstein@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Sharon Hoover, Principal Investigator, Director
• Nancy Lever, Director of Training
• Tiffany Beason, Director of Cultural Responsiveness and Equity
• Joanna Prout, Lead Evaluator
• Sarah Barber, Project Coordinator
• Ellie Davis, Business Manager
• Taneisha Carter, Senior Research Assistant

Funding Source: 

SAMHSA

Project Partners:

Center for Safe and Supportive Schools, NCTSN Center for Trauma Care in Schools, Center for Childhood Resilience

Project Description:

The Center for Safe Supportive Schools (CS3) aims to address existing gaps in the widespread implementation of trauma-informed schools (TIS) through a partnership between the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH), the NCTSN Center for Trauma Care in Schools (CTCS; Massachusetts) and the Center for Childhood Resilience (CCR; Illinois). The CS3 has three goals:

• Goal 1: Build state and district capacity to deliver multi-tiered, trauma-informed policies and programming, including universal (Tier 1), targeted (Tier 2) and intensive (Tier 3), within K-12 comprehensive school mental health (SMH) systems nationwide;
• Goal 2: Support training and implementation of school-based trauma interventions that  attend to social determinants and injustices and engage and support specific marginalized populations, including youth of color and newcomer (refugee and immigrant) youth;
• Goal 3: Integrate TIS into pre-service educator and mental health provider preparation.

Contact:

Maddie Keleher, mkeleher@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Jill Bohnenkamp, Principal Investigator
• Sharon Hoover, Expert Faculty
• Nancy Lever, Expert Faculty
• Jacqueline Atunrase, Research Associate
• Rachel Siegal, Research Coordinator

Funding Source: 

SAMHSA

Project Partners:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Academy of Pediatrics

Project Description:

The NCSMH will collaborate with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to expand the Training, Education, Assistance, Mentoring, and Support (TEAMS) model to support school districts in enhancing their comprehensive school mental health (MH) systems. This model supports school districts to overcome barriers by engaging in a systematic, planned process to improve health services. Specifically, school districts will be guided through a process to engage stakeholders and foster partnerships to support improvements in comprehensive school MH services; assess their current school MH services policies, practices, and infrastructure; identify and prioritize key areas for improvement and develop a strategic action plan.

Contact:

Jill Bohnenkamp, jbohnenk@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Jill Bohnenkamp, Principal Investigator
• Sharon Hoover, Senior Consultant
• Joanna Prout, Lead Evaluator
• Yourdanos Bekele, Research Assistant

Funding Source: 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Project Partners:

Florida Department of Health (FDOH); Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, and Liberty school districts of Florida

Description:

The NCSMH will collaborate with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson and Liberty school districts. This collaboration will enhance the six school districts’ capacity to provide evidence-based, trauma-responsive, comprehensive school mental health services for the students in public kindergarten through 12th grade schools in the six counties most adversely affected by Hurricane Michael. Specifically, school and community mental health providers will be trained in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Bounce Back, evidence-based practices to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and support, and coping skills. All school staff will receive Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training, with select staff being trained as YMHFA trainers to enhance sustainability. The NCSMH in partnership with the FDOH will provide on-going technical assistance to the six school district teams, including training in the National School Mental Health Curriculum and monthly technical assistance calls.

Contact:

Yourdanos Bekele, ybekele@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Sharon Hoover, Outreach and Education Co-Leader
• Nancy Lever, Outreach and Education Co-Leader
• Cindy Schaeffer, Expert Faculty
• Brittany Patterson, Expert Faculty
• Larraine Bernstein, Outreach and Training Project Manager
• Christina Walker, Project Coordinator
• Taneisha Carter, Senior Research Assistant

Funding Source: 

Maryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration

Project Partners:

University of Maryland Medical System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore County

Project Description:

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) leads the Outreach and Education efforts for EIP which emphasizes teaching providers how to identify signs of clinical high risk and early psychosis, familiarizing them with relevant evidence-based practices, and providing ample ways to refer individuals for further consultation and treatment. These efforts span settings and providers who serve the range of age groups that can be impacted by clinical high risk and early psychosis, including but not limited to intermediate and secondary schools (middle school and high school), higher education (community college, university/college), advocacy groups, and behavioral and medical treatment settings. The two main foci for the outreach and education team include: 1) training around early psychosis/risk for psychosis and the importance of early identification; and 2) outreach about available Maryland EIP clinical services.

Contact:

Larraine Bernstein, lbernste@som.umaryland.edu

Project Title:

Maryland Healthy Transitions (MD-HT)

Project Staff:

• Sharon Hoover, UMB Principal Investigator
• Sylvia McCree-Huntley, Outreach & Education Lead
• Perrin Robinson, Lead Evaluator
• Cameron Sheedy, Evaluation Coordinator

Funding Source:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Project Partners:

Maryland Behavioral Health Administration

Project Description:

MD-HT is a five-year grant funded by SAMHSA through the Now Is The Time initiative. The target population is transition-aged youth (TAY) between the ages of 16-25 with a serious mental health condition that impairs functioning. University of Maryland Baltimore conducts the program evaluation, in addition to providing outreach and education support. Each TAY works with a Transition Facilitator to create an individualized treatment plan. MD-HT goals include supporting TAY in in successfully transitioning to adult roles through supported employment, supported education and linking TAY to relevant services and supports. Healthy Transitions providers and staff can view our provider resources page. If you are looking for information on the outreach & education, visit Training & Technical Assistance. View the Healthy Transitions Leadership Team.

Contact:

Perrin Robinson, probinso@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Sharon Hoover, Co-Principal Investigator
• Nancy Lever, Co-Principal Investigator
• Larraine Bernstein, Project Coordinator
• Elizabeth Connors, Consultant/Trainer
• Kris Scardamalia, Consultant/Trainer
• Tiffany Beason, Consultant/Trainer
• Sam Reaves, Consultant/Trainer
• Dana Cunningham, Consultant/Trainer
• Taneisha Carter, Senior Research Assistant
• Christina Walker, Budget Analyst & Contracts Manager

Funding Source: 

SAMHSA

Project Partners:

University of Maryland Medical System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore County

Project Description:

The NCSMH has partnered with the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office at Stanford and several Regional Centers to lead the development of national school mental health training, including the National School Mental Health Curriculum, mental health literacy for educators and cultural responsiveness and equity. The NCSMH provides direct tailored technical assistance and training (T/TA) on the implementation of mental health services and supports in schools and school systems at a national level and to states and districts within regional MHTTCs. The NCSMH has conducted school mental health landscape surveys and interviews with key state leaders to inform school mental health progress and technical assistance needs. The NCSMH is working with Network Coordinating Office and the Regional MHTTCs to disseminate widely information related to high quality, sustainable school mental health and emerging school mental health topics.

Contact:

Larraine Bernstein, lbernste@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Sharon Hoover, Principal Investigator
• Nancy Lever, Co-Principal Investigator
• Kris Scardamalia, Technical Assistance Coordinator

Funding Source: 

Department of Education (DOE)

Project Partners:

American Institutes for Research

Project Description:

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) has partnered with American Institutes for Research (AIR) to provide technical assistance to federally funded Promoting Student Resilience, Elementary and Secondary School Counseling, and Project PREVENT grantees. The primary purpose of these projects is to build and increase the capacity of local education agencies to address the comprehensive behavioral and mental health needs of students in communities exposed to trauma.

Contact:

Nancy Lever, nlever@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Kris Scardamalia, Principal Investigator
• Sharon Hoover, Co-principal Investigator
• Katie Trainor, Research Associate

Funding Source: 

The Danya Institute

Project Partners:

• Dominique Charlot-Swilley, Expert Advisor (Georgetown University Hospital)
• Jeff Bostic, Expert Advisor (Georgetown University Hospital)

Project Description:

NCSMH has partnered with The Danya Institute and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital to create mechanismfor behavioral health providers to assess and improve well-being practices, both personal and organizational. Through use of a 10 part self-guided wellbeing workbook, behavioral health clinicians understand their own wellbeing including areas of strength and need as well as practices for improvement. We are developing an empirically- and field-informed organizational tool to assist behavioral health organizations in assessing and improving their strategies to promote well-being among providers. The assessments and resources will allow individuals and organizations to monitor progress and sustain improvements in personal and organizational strategies to improve behavioral health provider well-being.  

Contact:

Kris Scardamalia, Kscardamalia@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff:

• Brittany Patterson, Principal Investigator
• Kelly Willis, Trainer

Project Description:

In partnership with the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, the NCSMH is implementing and evaluating a youth gambling prevention program in several Baltimore City schools for students in grades 5, 7, 8 and 12.

Contact:

Kelly Willis, Kwillis@som.umaryland.edu

***New opportunity to join the WSCC Emotional Well-Being Learning Collaborative***

This one-year WSCC Learning Collaborative aims to advance health equity in K-12 schools through a focus on mental health and emotional well-being supports. We are currently accepting applications from all State Education Agencies.

• View the Request for Applications - National Initiative to Advance Health Equity.
• Apply for the WSCC Emotional Well-being Learning Collaborative.
• For further information, view our Request for Applications Webinar and access the Webinar Slide Deck.

Project Staff:

• Jill Bohnenkamp, UMB Principal Investigator
• Tiffany Beason, UMB Co-Principal Investigator
• Katie Trainor, Project Manager
• Nancy Lever, Co-Investigator & Expert Faculty
• Sharon Hoover, Co-Investigator & Expert Faculty
• Joanna Prout, Evaluation Director

Funding Source:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Healthy Schools Branch

Project Partners:

Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Project Description:

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine was awarded the National Initiative to Advance Health Equity in K-12 Education by Preventing Chronic Disease and Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Priority 2-Emotional Well-Being, Cooperative Agreement. The NCSMH is thrilled to be partnering with the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) on this initiative, a leading organization and a trusted source for high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional policy and practices in K-12 schools. Through this 5-year, $1.9 million, cooperative agreement awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Healthy Schools Branch, the NCSMH will work with states and school districts across the U.S. to advance healthy equity in K-12 schools, with a focus on mental health and emotional well-being. This work will use an equity-driven approach, Community of Practice and quality improvement best practices, and multi-level learning and collaboration, including collaboration with youth leaders to elevate their voices and engage them as leaders in advancing emotional well-being for all youth.

As a part of this cooperative agreement, the NCSMH will launch the CDC Healthy Schools Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Emotional Well-Being Learning Community (WSCC Emotional Well-Being LC), a network of CDC Healthy Schools SEAs, districts, and schools committed to improving emotional well-being for youth in communities that are socially and economically marginalized, and disproportionately affected by chronic diseases and the risk factors that cause them. The WSCC Emotional Well-Being LC will provide a comprehensive model of professional development, technical assistance, dissemination, partnerships, and implementation support. All WSCC Emotional Well-Being LC professional development trainings and resources will be available through an online learning platform for any school system to access to advance health equity and engage youth leaders around emotional well-being.

Contact:

Katie Trainor, Ktrainor@som.umaryland.edu

Program Staff: 

• Nancy Lever, Principal Investigator
• Cindy Schaeffer, Co-Principal Investigator
• Melissa Ambrose, Project Director and Trainer
• Janice Mace, Project Coordinator
• Sylvia McCree-Huntley, SFP Training Coordinator
• Kristina Floydd, Clinical Trainer
• Aijah Baruti- Goodwin, Post-Doctoral Fellow
• Caitlyn McNulty, Research Assistant
• Yao Sun, Graduate Research Assistant
• Christa Schmidt, Research Assistant

Funder:

SAMHSA

Program Partners:

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Behavioral Health Administration

Program Description:

Maryland and Family Interventions for Substance Use (MD FYI) is funded by the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration as part of the State Opioid Response. MD FYI provides free trainings and evidence-based resources to equip the Maryland behavioral workforce staff to prevent, identify and intervene with adolescent substance use. To achieve this effort, the following evidence-based trainings have been made available:

1. Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST): a substance abuse prevention program proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors.  Botvin LifeSkills can be implemented at the elementary, middle, and high school level in the classroom or with small groups.  This training is available to school staff (including counselors, teachers, and school-based health staff. 
2. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): The purpose of this training is to enhance school and community-based behavioral health professionals’ capacity to identify, support, and refer as needed, adolescents and transitional age youth with substance use concerns. Trainees will learn the skills of substance use screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. Multiple options for SBIRT are available.
3. Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA): A-CRA seeks to replace environmental contingencies that have supported alcohol or drug use with pro-social behaviors. Clinicians assume a flexible approach to reduce adolescent substance use by choosing from a menu of 19 different A- CRA procedures that address areas such as problem-solving skills, communication skills, and drug refusal skills. Goals of A-CRA include decreasing substance use, increasing participation in non-using pro-social activities, improved life satisfaction, and improved positive relations with family and
4. Parent CRAFT: Parent CRAFT is a self-paced online video course that teaches parents, caregivers, and concerned others the skills and techniques needed to meet the risks of substance misuse and encouraging a young person to enter treatment. Parents and caregivers learn skills to address adolescent and transitional-age youth (TAY) substance misuse through highly engaging online video segments that include structured suggestions for practicing the skills.
5. Strengthening Families Program: The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is a group-based caregiver and youth skills program that aims to promote good parenting skills and positive family relationships, reduce child and adolescent aggression and hostility, and prevent adolescent initiation of substance use. The program can be offered by any youth-serving organization that is able to work directly with caregivers and youth.  The Strengthening Families Program is suitable for all youth ages 7-17 years as well as for youth who may be at higher risk of developing a substance misuse disorder (e.g., those already receiving services for substance misuse).
6. The ASK Model for Culturally Responsive Services: Jordan Peer Recovery’s ASK Model focuses on the process of delivering culturally responsive behavioral health services to families.  The ASK Model is introduced through a series of activities where participants are asked to look internally at their own biases to increase cultural responsiveness in service delivery.  The ASK Model can be utilized to build awareness, skills, and knowledge to facilitate culturally responsive one-on-one and group sessions. This course focuses on person-centered interventions including motivational interviewing, active listening and setting SMART goals.

Contact:

Melissa Ambrose: mambrose@som.umaryland.edu

Project Staff: 

• Nancy Lever, Principal Investigator
• Cindy Schaeffer, Co-Investigator
• Sharon Hoover, Faculty Consultant and 3C Lead  
• Melissa Ambrose, 3C Online Resource Liaison
• Larraine Bernstein, Resource and Materials Lead
• Jordy Yarnell, Project Assistant

Funding Source: 

Office of Mental Health/Core Service Agency of Harford County

Project Partners: 

Behavioral Health Administration

Project description: 

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) team is supporting the Maryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration in advancing and disseminating a comprehensive package of knowledge and best practices in youth care coordination to care coordinators and supervisors, as well as behavioral health professionals throughout Maryland.  Training content was informed by and developed through a collaborative process that meaningfully engaged experienced care coordinators and mental health professionals. The series of 17 modules is intended for care coordinators, those supervising care coordinators, administrators, behavioral health providers working with youth care coordinators, and other professionals wishing to increase their knowledge about youth care coordination.  The NCSMH provides ongoing technical assistance and consultation as needed through in-person meetings, live trainings, webinars, and conference calls and will develop resources to support comprehensive training related to youth care coordination.

Contact:

Melissa Ambrose, mambrose@som.umaryland.edu