Page 55 - FY21 Wellness Promotion Policy Annual Report
P. 55
STUDENTS
Physical Education
& Physical Activity
Nutrition Services
Counseling, Psychological & Social Services EMPLOYEES Engagement COORDINATING POLICY, PROCESS, AND PRACTICE Counseling, Social Services Social & Emotional & FAMILIES
Community
Environment &
Involvement
Psychological
Family
HEALTHY SAFE
CHALLENGED SUPPORTED ENGAGED
Physical
Environment
Employee IMPROVING LEARNING AND HEALTH Health Climate
Wellness Education
Health
Services
COMMUNITY
Guided by Legislation, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB7026) and the Legislative
Recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB7030) and supported by
our District’s Strong Schools...Strong Communities referendum, the Department of Behavioral and Mental
Health organized its work around three (3) key messages:
• Mental health is our ability to love fully, engage with others, and respond to challenges.
• It’s OK to be OK. It’s OK to not be OK. It’s OK to ask for help.
• Schools have highly trained and skilled professionals in place to support student mental health.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the department continued efforts on aligning existing and creating new
mental and behavioral supports within its School Behavioral and Mental Health Framework. The efforts focused
on the enhancement of systems and procedures (e.g., school teams, mental health awareness training); the
creation of new systems and procedures (e.g., universal process for mental health referral, Caring First App,
and co-location of mental health agency professionals onto school campuses); strategies to enhance student
access to evidence-based mental health supports by District-employed; contracted and collaborative
mental health professionals; and fidelity monitoring tools.
Like other school districts in the state and across the nation, the District worked to pivot to Distance Learning
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the training and support provided by the Department; schools,
school teams, and agency partners were able to quickly pivot with the onset of Distance Learning due to
COVID-19.
Department initiatives:
Mental health referrals continued to be made with the support of school teams.
Community-based agencies able to provide teletherapy were identified and that information was
shared with school sites.
The District’ Crisis, Assessment, Prevention, Education and Support Team (CAPE) continued to provide
direct support to students, families, school teams, and schools throughout FY21 through virtual
meetings and on-campus support.
The Co-located Mental Health Professional initiative was able to quickly pivot with the advent of Distance
Learning due to COVID-19. Ten school days after the advent of Distance Learning, co-located mental
health professionals, led by the Department administration team and working with their school teams,
continued to provide teletherapy to students on their existing caseload and received new referral
for mental health care for students in need of support during the initial stages of the pandemic. On-
campus individual counseling and teletherapy sessions were available to students at 100 school sites
during the FY21.
The School Behavioral Health Professionals provided both online and on campus: mental wellness,
including the SEL competencies, presentations and small groups; check-ins with students; and parent
consultations.
School Psychological Services - School Psychologists pivoted service delivery practices to ensure
continued direct support to students, schools, and families.
55
