Maryland’s School Mental Health Initiatives and Progress

Leading Partners Center for School Mental Health Center for School Mental Health Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Maryland State Department of Education Maryland State Department of Education Mental Health Association of Maryland Mental Health Association of Maryland

Affiliated Partners Baltimore Mental Health Systems, Inc Baltimore Mental Health Systems, Inc Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, The Johns Hopkins University Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, The Johns Hopkins University Innovations Institute, University of Maryland, Baltimore Innovations Institute, University of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care Villa Maria Continuum – Behavioral Health & Special Education Services Villa Maria Continuum – Behavioral Health & Special Education Services

Maryland’s Blueprint for Children’s Mental Health Led by the Mental Hygiene Administration and other organizations/agencies this document: Led by the Mental Hygiene Administration and other organizations/agencies this document: Provided a bold vision and policy framework for improving mental health services for children and adolescents Provided a bold vision and policy framework for improving mental health services for children and adolescents Emphasized an interconnected system Emphasized an interconnected system Recommended the establishment of key workgroups including: School Mental Health, Workforce, Evidence-Based Practice Recommended the establishment of key workgroups including: School Mental Health, Workforce, Evidence-Based Practice

School Mental Health Blueprint Workgroup Vision: Eliminate mental health problems as a barrier to learning for Maryland children and youth. Goals: 1) Improve learning environment for all students 2) Improve identification and referral of students with mental health needs 3) Increase the availability of expanded school mental health services and ensure they are available at the universal, indicated and selected levels for all students

Action Plan Develop and disseminate a school mental health survey Develop and disseminate a school mental health survey Develop a strategic framework for school mental health in Maryland Develop a strategic framework for school mental health in Maryland Work together on social marketing materials and policy and advocacy efforts Work together on social marketing materials and policy and advocacy efforts Collaborate on a forum on mental health for youth with emotional disturbance Collaborate on a forum on mental health for youth with emotional disturbance Host a statewide conference Host a statewide conference Advance school mental health and foster care initiative Advance school mental health and foster care initiative

Statewide Survey Recognized problem of not having a clear picture of school mental health in each jurisdiction. Needed a “mapping” by jurisdiction of: Who is providing services? What services are being provided? How is it being funded? What evidence-based programs are being implemented? To what extent are services accessed and meeting the needs of students? What sources are used to evaluate mental health services? How are families involved in school mental health? Used Survey Monkey to administer the questionnaires. Only one questionnaire per jurisdiction completed by the following Directors in each jurisdiction: Student Services, Special Education, Core Service Agency (Local Mental Health Agency)

Statewide Survey Next Steps Review of findings with the Blueprint Committee Sharing of findings with jurisdictions Using data in policy/advocacy efforts Using data in developing strategic framework and to inform action steps

Resource and Policy Mapping Use survey data to begin mapping service provisions and gaps Use survey data to begin mapping service provisions and gaps Use survey data to develop social marketing brochure Use survey data to develop social marketing brochure Pulling together key initiatives in the state to find a common language/framework for the work (PBIS, Expanded School Mental Health, Wraparound) Pulling together key initiatives in the state to find a common language/framework for the work (PBIS, Expanded School Mental Health, Wraparound) Strategizing about how technical assistance and resource sharing across jurisdictions can help advance school mental health Strategizing about how technical assistance and resource sharing across jurisdictions can help advance school mental health

Conferences State Forum on Mental Health for Youth with Emotional Disturbance State Forum on Mental Health for Youth with Emotional Disturbance Provided a keynote on school mental health Provided a keynote on school mental health Helped facilitate smaller stakeholder group discussions Helped facilitate smaller stakeholder group discussions Served on the planning committee for the form Served on the planning committee for the form Participate on steering committee resulting from the forum Participate on steering committee resulting from the forum

Conference (cont.) School Mental Health Statewide Conference School Mental Health Statewide Conference Will disseminate key findings from survey Will disseminate key findings from survey Will present school mental health framework Will present school mental health framework Will consider current funding and strategies for the future Will consider current funding and strategies for the future Will promote an open dialogue and will encourage collaborative action planning to advance policy and practice Will promote an open dialogue and will encourage collaborative action planning to advance policy and practice

School Mental Health and Foster Care Initiative Goal: To effectively integrate and improve school mental health services and ultimate outcomes for children, adolescents, and graduates of Maryland’s foster care system Goal: To effectively integrate and improve school mental health services and ultimate outcomes for children, adolescents, and graduates of Maryland’s foster care system Key Objectives Include: Key Objectives Include: Develop a training curriculum and conduct training related to effective school-based outreach, support, mental health promotion and intervention for youth in foster care in Maryland Schools Develop a training curriculum and conduct training related to effective school-based outreach, support, mental health promotion and intervention for youth in foster care in Maryland Schools Provide statewide information and technical support on effective school mental health promotion and intervention for youth in foster care through the website, and a listserv Provide statewide information and technical support on effective school mental health promotion and intervention for youth in foster care through the website, and a listservwww.schoolmentalhealth.org Funding - Maryland Mental Health Transformation Grant # 5 U79SM from SAMHSA Funding - Maryland Mental Health Transformation Grant # 5 U79SM from SAMHSA

Conceptual Framework Conceptual Framework Foster Care – School Mental Health Interface

Key Strategies for Success Find the right people – Need to have people who can effect change Find the right people – Need to have people who can effect change Work towards common language/conceptual framework Work towards common language/conceptual framework Develop regular schedule for meetings Develop regular schedule for meetings Seek collaborative funding and resource sharing opportunities Seek collaborative funding and resource sharing opportunities Learn from other states and seek assistance from experts Learn from other states and seek assistance from experts Define and continually update action plan Define and continually update action plan

Questions and Answers