Educators' Guide to School Mental Health

Jessica B. Koslouski, PhD, is Assistant Research Professor in the Neag School of Education and Codirector of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Koslouski has specialty training in child and adolescent social, emotional, and behavioral development. She is particularly interested in how contextual assets and barriers affect student and educator well-being and success. Her scholarship focuses on supporting educators in using evidence-based practices, improving school-based assessment tools, and increasing access to evidence-based mental health interventions. Dr. Koslouski partners with schools to create effective, feasible, and contextually relevant solutions to persistent challenges. Prior to a career in academia, she worked in public schools as an elementary special education teacher.Kristabel Stark, PhD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont College of Education and Social Services, where she teaches courses in undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs. Dr. Stark’s scholarly interests include teachers’ emotional experiences and mental health, special education workforce issues, and the development and training of new special educators. Her current research is informed by her prior experiences as a special educator in Chicago and her partnerships with schools in the greater Boston and Washington, DC, areas.Sandra M. Chafouleas, PhD, is Distinguished Professor in the Neag School of Education and Codirector of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Chafouleas is a licensed psychologist with specialty training in school psychology and expertise in education settings and child development. Her scholarly focus includes social, emotional, and behavioral promotion and risk; evaluating responsiveness to supports critical to learning, health, and well-being; and understanding influences on use of particular strategies. Dr. Chafouleas regularly serves as a national presenter and invited speaker and has received awards including an American Psychological Association Presidential Citation.

“Koslouski, Stark, and Chafouleas draw on their applied experience across general and special education and school psychology to provide comprehensive mental health guidance for teachers and other school staff. Needed now more than ever, this book will prove valuable to both pre- and inservice educators.â€--Stephen E. Brock, PhD, NCSP, School Psychology Program (Emeritus), California State University, Sacramento“Many educators enter the classroom with little to no preservice training in student mental health, despite being on the front lines of a growing youth mental health crisis. This book offers clear, accessible, and comprehensive guidance for nonspecialists, grounding readers in the fundamentals of school mental health and well-being for both students and staff. Rich with practical examples and evidence-based resources, the book spans mental health promotion, prevention, and response to specific concerns. It empowers educators to better understand and address common student needs.â€--Elizabeth H. Connors, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine“This book is for all educators who wish they had a better understanding of how to identify student needs and what to do to support students' healing and thriving along with their learning. The vignettes throughout will be relatable for anyone working in schools. Authored by veteran educators, this book fills a gap in graduate training and will serve as a reference that teachers can turn to again and again. I wish I had had this book when I taught 'Children at Risk.' As a graduate-level text or professional development resource, the book will enable educators to understand the complex factors that influence mental health, the critical need for positive teacher–student relationships, and ways to support students’ well-being. Using the 'Stop and Reflect' guides in peer-led book discussions would be time well spent.â€--Michelle V. Porche, EdD, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Riverside-

• 1. What Is School Mental Health?I. Promotion2. Promoting Positive School Climate3. Facilitating Whole-Child Instruction4. Fostering Social and Emotional Learning5. Supporting Educator Mental HealthII. Prevention6. Universal Screening7. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support8. Family and Community Partnerships9. Strategic Use of TechnologyIII. Responding to Specific Mental Health Concerns10. Anxiety and Depression11. Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Secondary Traumatic Stress12. Other Behavioral Conditions13. Responding to EmergenciesAppendix: Action Planning Reflection QuestionsReferencesIndex