A Multitiered Approach to Promoting School Safety J

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A Multi-tiered Approach to Promoting School Safety J. P. Jameson, Ph. D. & Kurt

A Multi-tiered Approach to Promoting School Safety J. P. Jameson, Ph. D. & Kurt Michael, Ph. D. Department of Psychology Appalachian State University

Session Objectives • Provide a background on best practices for school violence prevention and

Session Objectives • Provide a background on best practices for school violence prevention and wellness promotion. • Support district planning and readiness through interactive sessions with a focus on initiatives that realistically can be achieved with existing resources • Inform participants of existing resources and frameworks that can guide the development of customized plans

Background • On the whole, K-12 schools and students are safe • 119, 000

Background • On the whole, K-12 schools and students are safe • 119, 000 schools, 60 million students • During 2009 -10, there were an estimated 25 *violent incidents per 1, 000 students (base rate = 2. 5%; Institute for Educational Sciences, 2010) • Incidents took place most often in middle schools (4%), whereas primary and high schools (2%) were lower (IES, 2010) *Rape, sexual battery, assault w/ or w/o weapon, threat w/ or w/o weapon, Robbery w/ or w/o weapon

Background • Findings from the *Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) •

Background • Findings from the *Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) • Between 1974 – 2000, 37 communities experienced mass school shootings in K 12 schools, involving 41 perpetrators • There is NOT a profile

Background • Findings from the *Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) •

Background • Findings from the *Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) • 59% of the 37 incidents occurred during the school day, 22% before school, 16% after school • 95% were current students at school • 100% were committed by boys or young men • 81% of attacks were carried out by a lone *US Secret Service, US Department of Education, attacker 2004

Background • Since 2000 and the publication of the *Safe Schools Initiative (2004), although

Background • Since 2000 and the publication of the *Safe Schools Initiative (2004), although there have been 5 horrific school shootings, non-students with no current affiliation with the schools were the perpetrators in 3 of the 5 incidents *US Secret Service, US Department of Education, 2004

Background • Also since 2000, and after several recommendations were made to foster safer

Background • Also since 2000, and after several recommendations were made to foster safer climates in schools (e. g. , *Threat Assessment in Schools, 2004), there have been multiple, less well documented incidents where serious violent acts were prevented through the use of our best resource, human communication Secret Service, US Department of Education, • Cue*US video

Background • Key recommendations from *Threat Assessment in Schools (2004): • Fostering a culture

Background • Key recommendations from *Threat Assessment in Schools (2004): • Fostering a culture of respect • Creating connections between students and adults • Breaking the code of silence • Assessing and promoting school safety • Creating sustainable systems for wellness and safety • Very similar to suicide prevention recommendations *US Secret Service, US Department of Education,

Fostering Positive School Climate • Tend to the wellness of students • Create a

Fostering Positive School Climate • Tend to the wellness of students • Create a positive school climate • Communication is key • Build school-based resources to the extent possible • Many school-aged children do not have access to needed mental health services • Particularly in rural areas

Not Just School Shootings… • Recommendations are congruent with: • Recommendations for school-based suicide

Not Just School Shootings… • Recommendations are congruent with: • Recommendations for school-based suicide prevention* • Since the Sandy Hook tragedy, ~2, 000 young people have been victims of suicide • Estimated 300, 000 nonfatal attempts • Recommendations for bullying prevention** • 1 in 5 students report being bullied at school *Lazear, Roggenbaum, & Bláse, 2012 **National School Climate Center, 2013; NASP, 2003

Guiding Frameworks • Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) • Position statement-

Guiding Frameworks • Final Report on the Safe Schools Initiative (2004) • Position statement- Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence (2012) • National Association of School Psychologists: A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools (2013) • White House: Now is the Time (2013) • Experience providing MH services to rural schools in western NC.

Common Elements • A balanced approach featuring: • Collaboration & shared responsibility • Communication

Common Elements • A balanced approach featuring: • Collaboration & shared responsibility • Communication • Between agencies, staff, students • The “Code of Silence” • Flexibility • Customization • School climate is influenced on many levels: • Policies • Organizational/Procedural • Staff • Student body • Individual

Multi-Tiered Support Systems Indicated • Tier III: Specialty MH services; individual risk assessments; crisis

Multi-Tiered Support Systems Indicated • Tier III: Specialty MH services; individual risk assessments; crisis response teams Selected • Tier II: Supports for high-risk students; training for staff and faculty champions; peer support groups Universal • Tier I: School-wide prevention & promotion; personnel training; universal MH screenings

The ASC Center • Assessment, Support, and Counseling Center (ASC) • Currently two sites

The ASC Center • Assessment, Support, and Counseling Center (ASC) • Currently two sites (Ashe & Watauga Counties) serving ~2500 high school students • Tier III: individual & group psychotherapy, crisis management • Tier II: social skills groups, walk-in appointments, short-term therapy • Tier I: Policy development, staff education, suicide prevention activities • Positive outcomes • Both MH and academic outcomes

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Mental Health Outcomes (2011 -12) • Watauga High

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Mental Health Outcomes (2011 -12) • Watauga High School • Among those with clinically significant symptoms at baseline, 63% were either recovered or significantly improved after approximately 15 sessions of CBT • Session length was approximately 40 minutes per event with minimal impact on instruction time

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Academic Outcomes (2011 -12) • Watauga High School

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Academic Outcomes (2011 -12) • Watauga High School • The majority of the sample demonstrated improvements or stability in attendance (73%) and discipline referrals (75%) from baseline to posttest. These results were maintained after a 6 month follow-up. • The findings regarding GPA were equivocal at posttreatment (54%) but

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Mental Health Outcomes (2012 -13) • Ashe High

Response to Intervention: ASC Results • Mental Health Outcomes (2012 -13) • Ashe High School (Preliminary analyses) • Among those with clinically significant symptoms at baseline, 63% were either recovered or significantly improved after approximately 8 -9 sessions of CBT • Session length was similar to the 201112 Watauga study (36 -40 minutes)

Stakeholders in Expanded MH Services Support Services • ASC Center: • University personnel •

Stakeholders in Expanded MH Services Support Services • ASC Center: • University personnel • Community Mental Health • Law enforcement (SRO) • School personnel • Administrators, counselors, and teachers • Invested “champions” • Parents

Components of Effective Multi-Tiered Response Systems • Adequate resources at Tiers II & III

Components of Effective Multi-Tiered Response Systems • Adequate resources at Tiers II & III • If you build it, they will come. • Coordination of efforts across tiers • Recognize when individuals need more intensive services • Effective communication within/between tiers • Play to your strengths • Flexibility and customization • Judicious use of resources • Bringing together community resources wherever possible

The Reality… • It’s not getting done today. • What we can get done

The Reality… • It’s not getting done today. • What we can get done today: • An assessment of the strengths and needs of the schools • A basic plan to utilize strengths and address needs using existing resources for action items that can be addressed immediately • A vision for achievable longer-term goals based on existing resources

Exercise 1: Strengths and Needs Assessment • Provides a reasonable starting place for future

Exercise 1: Strengths and Needs Assessment • Provides a reasonable starting place for future planning • What do we have? • What do we need? • How does what we have fit with what we need? • Complete the Strengths and Needs Assessment Sheet on your own. • Discuss common trends in your answers (if any)

Exercise 2: Assessing School Climate • Now that we have taken stock of strengths

Exercise 2: Assessing School Climate • Now that we have taken stock of strengths and needs, what is our highest priority for promoting safe school climate? • What problems seem most pressing? • What are you doing well? • At what level/tier does intervention make the most sense? • Complete the School & District Safe Climate Priority Assessment on your own • Compare your results with others at the table

Exercise 3: Action Planning • What happens when you get back? • Concrete plans

Exercise 3: Action Planning • What happens when you get back? • Concrete plans for 1 -2 action items: • What can we do? • Who will take charge? • When will it be completed? • What is needed and what is available? • How can community orgs and people get involved?

Summary • School climate is an important facet to school safety & student safety

Summary • School climate is an important facet to school safety & student safety • Positive school climate should be promoted with multilevel support systems • Leverage strengths to promote sustainable support systems that address needs • Start small and dream big!

Resources: • Cowan, K. C. , Vaillancourt, K. , Rossen, E. , & Pollitt,

Resources: • Cowan, K. C. , Vaillancourt, K. , Rossen, E. , & Pollitt, K. (2013). A framework for safe and successful schools [Brief]. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. • http: //www. nasponline. org/resources/framework-safe-and-successfulschools. aspx • Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence. (2012). December 2012 Connecticut School Shooting Position Statement. • http: //curry. virginia. edu/articles/sandyhookshooting • Michael, K. D. , Renkert, L. E. , Wandler, J. , & Stamey, T. (2009). Cultivating a new harvest: Rationale and preliminary results from a growing interdisciplinary rural school mental health program. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 2, 40 -50 • http: //libres. uncg. edu/ir/asu/f/michael_renkert_cultivation_a_new_harvest. pdf • The White House of the United States of America (2013). Now is the Time. Washington, D. C. : Author. • http: //www. whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/wh_now_is_the_time_f ull. pdf • United States Secret Service and United States Department of Education (2004). The final report and findings of the Safe Schools Initiative: Implications for the prevention of school attacks in the