Greenwood Public Schools School Based Mental Health Program

1. Greenwood Public SchoolsSchool Based Mental Health Program July 26, 2010

2. General Mission and Purpose • To guide all efforts to address barriers to development and learning, promote health development, and strengthen families and community.

3. School Based Mental Health Staff • Patti Allison, Special Education Supervisor and Licensed Professional Counselor – Coordinator • Stan Escalante – Licensed Professional Counselor • Linda Strawser – Licensed Educational Examiner • Jane Fuller – Licensed Clinical Social Worker • Monica Pruitt – School Psychology Specialist • Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance (Ben Storie and Carol Dowdy with two case managers)

4. Comments by our School Staff • “Mrs. Fuller has provided every service I need.” • “They are accessible, convenient, provide collaboration and are a liaison between families, schools and doctors.” • “Mrs. Strawser is exceptional. She is always willing to help students and families. She is always a professional and students greatly benefit from her services. I don’t know what we would do without her.” • “The mental health professionals at this school are much needed. This person was highly qualified in meeting the needs of our students. Cutting back or cutting this program from the school completely would be a tragedy. There are so many students with severe social/emotional behaviors that benefit from the guidance of these qualified therapists. These counselors may be the only person in their life that they can trust. “

5. Comments by our Parents • “It has been good for my son. Convenience and expense of services are a plus. I would love to see this program continue through the years.” • “I believe that this an important program. It has been a great help to our family, help that would not have been possible if it hadn’t been available through the school. We are truly thankful for all the help that this program provides.” • “What my family got was above and beyond what we expected. Thank you for saving this family in more than one way.”

6. Comments by our Students • “I like everything about counseling” • “Mrs. Strawser is a lovely lady.” • “I’d like to stay in here until I go to 2nd grade” • “I did very good for you” • “I don’t need to write nothing because you are very good” • These statements are from Kindergarten and 1st grade students.

7. Types of Functions Provided Related to Individuals, Groups and Family • 3.1 Assessment – Response to Intervention Teams meet weekly with the staff of Principal, Counselor, Interventionist, School Based Personnel, and Special Education. • 3.2 Referrals are made by the School Counselors, Teachers, Principals, and Parents • BASCs and the YOQ are used as assessment tools

8. 3.3 Direct Services Provided • Individual Therapy Group Therapy • Family Therapy Professional Development • ALE Support Athletic “Life Coach” • Intern Supervision I I EP Team Member • Resource for Community Case Management • Homeless Liaison Transition Planning • Tutoring • System of Care Team Member Equine Therapy • Communication Skills Friendship Skills • Problem Solving Anger Management • Collateral Services Juvenile Probation Collaboration • Resource Officer Support TASK Force Member

9. Parenting Classes • Family Support Groups Monthly • 1-2-3 Magic • Active Parenting • “New Kid by Friday” • Autism Spectrum Classes • Therapy • Play Therapy • Filial Therapy • Grief and Loss • Blended Family • Drug Awareness • Parenting of Teens • Attention Deficit Disorder

10. 3.4 Coordination, development, and leadership related to School Based Mental Health • Weekly Response to Intervention Teams • Weekly Coordination of Services with the School Counselor • Weekly Meeting by Coordinator with Building Administrators • Bi-Monthly Meeting at the District Office with all School Based Mental Health Staff for coordination of services.

11. 3.5 Consultation, Supervision, and In-service Instruction • Bi-Monthly Meeting for consultation and supervision • In-service opportunities are encouraged to provide ongoing training for staff (ex. ARMEA Conferences, Professional Meetings in the area of Expertise, National School Based Mental Health Conferences • Supervision documentation by yearly evaluations and those required by individual Licensing Boards

12. 3.6 Connecting Involvement of Home and Community Resources • Parenting Workshops • Home Visits • Updating Treatment Goals and Plans to assure connections • Parent Support Groups with presentations regarding resources • System of Care Members

13. Prevention • Our School works to ensure a positive school-wide environment to support students and families. • Counseling is provided to all students through a designed curriculum in the classroom by the guidance counselors. • Provides ongoing interventions to minimize the impact of risk facts with mentors, peer supports, and resource officers

14. Systems of Early Intervention • School Based Mental Health Services are provided to the Early Childhood Program (ages 3-5) • Behavior Interventionist are provided to go into the home to assist families that have risk factors • Counseling Services are provided in every school

15. Systems of Care (Interventions for severe, pervasive and or chronic problems) • ALE Classrooms with therapists to provide counseling to families and students in the designed areas of need • Risk assessment and mobile assessments are used to stabilize situations • Crisis Intervention • Special Education Programs/Behavior Plans • Coordinate services with Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance and Vista Health

16. Early Intervention reveals • Progress in social skills • Testing documentation reveals moving from the Eligibility of Emotionally Disturbed to other eligibility categories • Consistent Teaching of Skills • Less Discipline issues • Improved Attendance • Transitions from ALE Environments to General Education Classrooms • Increased participation in Band, Choir, Extra Curricular Activities and Community Events • Students recognize they are struggling and ask for help

17. Differences Made in the Schools • Availability and access to students • Observe the behaviors 1st hand • Immediate responses to crisis • Timely intervention • Paperwork is simplified • Less Staff turnover • Everyone is seen regardless of income or reimbursement sources (Medicaid/Insurance) • Collaboration on a regular basis (Parent, resource officers, teachers, administrators, Juvenile Probation Officers)

18. Assuring Quality of Services • Availability and access to students • Observe the behaviors 1st hand • Immediate responses to crisis • Timely interventions • Paperwork is simplified • Less Staff turnover • “Everyone” is seen, that needs services and this is not based on income. • Collaboration on a regular basis (Parents, resource officers, teachers, administrators, Juvenile Probation Officers) • Progress monitoring with surveys that include families, school staff, and students. • Formal Evaluation Tools

19. Cost Effectiveness • Reduces Inpatient Admissions • Allows for smooth transitions to and from facilities (if needed) • Wraparound services are in the schools • Students have increased attendance and fewer discipline referrals, which accounts for more educational opportunities

20. Caseload • Therapists Caseloads are averaging in the 50’s • Presenting Problems are: Children without boundaries, Aspergers, Lack of Parenting skills, Blended families, drug and alcohol abuse, and diagnosis that range from ADHD to Bipolar Disorder.

21. Obstacles • Lack of Case Management for families to assist with: 1. Obtaining community resources and coordinating services 2. Home Problems and interventions 3. Basic Needs (food, clothing, dental and medical care) 4. Obtaining PCP’s and signatures for school services The therapists are acting as case managers to obtain services for families.

22. Medicaid • Medicaid Reimbursement ($4900.00) received last school year due to lack of prescriptions/authorizations/Minimal Billing under ARKIDS A • Therapists see children “back-to-back” with little time for data entry. • Crisis Interventions take priority Our focus is on the children, not paperwork!

23. Other Funding Sources • Fluctuating revenues from the Arkansas Department of Education. • 2003-04 Fully funded • 2004-05 Fully funded • 2005-06 Fully funded • 2006-07 $188,000.00 • 2007-08 166,000.00 • 2008-09 88,000.00 • 2009-10 211,604.00 YIPPEE!!!!!!

24. Outcomes from Funding • Therapists take other jobs with more security • Therapists concerned about their income from year to year (Notified of funding in June, 2010) • “Love working with the children and in the school”, but I keep a second job, just in case there is not funding for my position. • I always worry about the impact that this position will have on my family’s finances.

25. Superintendent’s Perspective • Our District does not receive an excess of funds from the free and reduced population, NSLA Funds, and Title I Funds due to the economic status of the community. • Those funds we receive are used to hire staff to help struggling learners and provide reading and math instruction. • School Based Mental Health is not a required expenditure

26. Required Expenditures of School Districts • Facilities • Textbooks • Class Size Maintenance • Band • Music • Desks • Classroom Supplies • Tables for Cafeterias • Athletics – Superintendent cannot use those funds from gate admissions

27. What is NOT Required by the Districts • School Based Mental Health Programs • Coordinated School Health Programs • Extra Curricular Programs that involve many students, who gain benefit from that participation!

28. For more information please feel free to contact: • Patti Allison, LPC • Stan Escalante, LPC • Jane Fuller, LCSW • Linda Strawser, LPC • Monica Pruitt, School Psychology Specialist • 479-996-8884