Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T02:54:04.141Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

7 - Comprehensive Evaluation of a Rural School Mental Health Program

from Part II - Research, Assessment, and Program Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2021

By
Samantha N. Hartley ,
Melissa Strompolis ,
Courtnie Collins ,
W. Joshua Bradley ,
Darien M. Collins ,
Patrick M. Bresnan  and
Mark D. Weist
Edited by
Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers
Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers
Affiliation:
Long Island University, New York
Get access

Summary

Promoting youth resilience and well-being in vulnerable rural populations requires a coordinated approach that builds connections between schools, families, community resources, and school mental health clinicians. Emphasizing a community psychology and ecological systems approach, this chapter describes how one school–community–university partnership improved school mental health (SMH) programming and reduced the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in eight rural South Carolina elementary schools. This approach included delivering a continuum of evidence-based SMH services, helping families navigate community resources to address concrete needs that would otherwise function as barriers to student well-being and achievement, building community-level ACE awareness and capacity for resiliency promotion, and conducting a thorough mixed-methods evaluation to highlight program achievements and areas for improvement. Information on the nature and outcomes of the project and strategies for conducting rich evaluations for similar regional programs are presented. Finally, a new model – the Empower Action Model – for organizations interested in developing a functional, coordinated plan of action for improving equity, health, and well-being in their communities is introduced.

Keywords

School mental healthadverse childhood experiencescommunity psychologyecological approachschool–community–university partnershipEmpower Action Model
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Community Psychology
Interdisciplinary and Contextual Perspectives
 , pp. 137 - 160
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afifi, T. O., & Macmillan, H. L. (2011). Resilience following child maltreatment: A review of protective factors. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry/Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, 56(5), 266–272. doi.org/10.1177/070674371105600505CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anda, R. F., Croft, J. B., Felitti, V. J., et al. (1999). Adverse childhood experiences and smoking during adolescence and adulthood. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282(17), 1652–1658. doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.17.1652CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anda, R. F., Whitfield, C. L., Felitti, V. J., et al. (2002). Adverse childhood experiences, alcoholic parents, and later risk of alcoholism and depression. Psychiatric Services, 53(8), 1001–1009. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.53.8.1001Google Scholar
Anderson, R. L., & Gittler, J. J. (2005). Unmet need for community-based mental health and substance use treatment among rural adolescents. Community Mental Health Journal, 41(1), 35–49. doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-2598-0Google Scholar
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2015, January 8). Race equity and inclusion action guide. www.aecf.org/resources/race-equity-and-inclusion-action-guide/Google Scholar
Atkins, M. S., Frazier, S. L., Birman, D., et al. (2006). School-based mental health services for children living in high poverty urban communities. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33(2), 146–159. doi.org/10.1007/s10488-006-0031-9Google Scholar
Ballard, K. L., Sander, M. A., & Klimes-Dougan, B. (2014). School-related and social–emotional outcomes of providing mental health services in schools. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(2), 145–149. doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9670-yGoogle Scholar
Barrett, S., Eber, L., & Weist, M. D. (2013). Advancing education effectiveness: An interconnected systems framework for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and school mental health. Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education). Eugene: University of Oregon Press. www.pbis.org/resource/advancing-education-effectiveness-interconnecting-school-mental-health-and-school-wide-positive-behavior-supportGoogle Scholar
Bear, T., Documèt, P., Marshal, M., Voorhees, R., & Ricci, E. (2014, November). Childhood adversity: A social determinant of health and inequity over the lifespan and across generations. Paper presented at the 142nd annual meeting and exposition of the American Public Health Association, New Orleans, LA.Google Scholar
Blodgett, C. (2013). A review of community efforts to mitigate and prevent adverse childhood experiences and trauma. Spokane: Washington State University Area Health Education Center.Google Scholar
Braveman, P., & Barclay, C. (2009). Health disparities beginning in childhood: A life-course perspective. Pediatrics, 124(Suppl. 3), S163–S175. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-1100DCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. In Vasta, R. (Ed.), Six theories of child development: Revised formulations and current issues (pp. 187–249). London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Google Scholar
Brown, D. W., Anda, R. F., Tiemeier, H., et al. (2009). Adverse childhood experiences and the risk of premature mortality. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37(5), 389–396. doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2009.06.021Google Scholar
Burke, N. J., Hellman, J. L., Scott, B. G., Weems, C. F., & Carrion, V. G. (2011). The impact of adverse childhood experiences on an urban pediatric population. Child Abuse and Neglect, 35(6), 408–413. doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.02.006Google Scholar
Burns, B. J., Costello, E. J., Angold, A., et al. (1995). Children’s mental health service use across service sectors. Health Affairs, 14(3), 147–159. doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.14.3.147CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Center for the Developing Child. (n.d.). Three principles to improve outcomes for children and families. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/three-early-childhood-development-principles-improve-child-family-outcomes/Google Scholar
Center for the Study of Social Policy. (n.d.). Strengthening FamiliesTM: A protective factors framework. https://cssp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/About-Strengthening-Families.pdfGoogle Scholar
Center for the Study of Social Policy. (2018). Youth ThriveTM. www.cssp.org/reform/child-welfare/youththriveGoogle Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Essentials for Childhood Framework: Steps to create safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children (Essentials for Childhood). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/essentials.htmlGoogle Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, March 25). The social-ecological model: A framework for prevention. www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/publichealthissue/social-ecologicalmodel.htmlGoogle Scholar
Chapman, D. P., Whitfield, C. L., Felitti, V. J., et al. (2004). Adverse childhood experiences and the risk of depressive disorders in adulthood. Journal of Affective Disorders, 82(2), 217–225. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2003.12.013Google Scholar
Children’s Bureau, Administration of Children and Families. (2017). Protective factors to promote well-being. www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/promoting/protectfactors/Google Scholar
Children’s Trust of South Carolina. (2019). Child well-being data county profiles. https://scchildren.org/resources/kids-count-south-carolina/child-well-being-data-county-profiles/Google Scholar
Chorpita, B. F., & Weisz, J. R. (2009). Modular approach to therapy for children with anxiety, depression, trauma, or conduct problems (MATCH–ADTC). Satellite Beach, FL: PracticeWise.Google Scholar
Clauss-Ehlers, C., Acosta, O., & Weist, M. D. (2004). Responses to terrorism: The voices of two communities speak out. In Clauss-Ehlers, C. & Weist, M. D. (Eds.), Community planning to foster resilience in children (pp. 143–160). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., Berliner, L., & Deblinger, E. (2000). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents: An empirical update. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 15(11), 1202–1223. doi.org/10.1177/088626000015011007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crone, D. A., Hawken, L. S., & Horner, R. H. (2010). Responding to problem behavior in schools: The Behavior Education Program (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Dube, S. R., Anda, R. F., Felitti, V. J., et al. (2001). Childhood abuse, household dysfunction, and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the life span: Findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 286(24), 3089–3096. doi.org/10.1001/jama.286.24.3089CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dube, S. R., Felitti, V. J., Dong, M., et al. (2003). Childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction and the risk of illicit drug use: The adverse childhood experiences study. Pediatrics, 111(3), 564–572. doi.org/10.1542/peds.111.3.564Google Scholar
Edwards, V. J., Holden, G. W., Felitti, V. J., & Anda, R. F. (2003). Relationship between multiple forms of childhood maltreatment and adult mental health in community respondents: Results from the adverse childhood experiences study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(8), 1453–1460. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.8.1453Google Scholar
Felitti, V. J., & Anda, R. F. (2010). The relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult medical disease, psychiatric disorders and sexual behavior: Implications for healthcare. In Lanius, R. A., Vermetten, E., & Pain, C. (Eds.), The impact of early life trauma on health and disease (pp. 77–87). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., et al. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258. doi.org/10.1016/s0749-3797(98)00017-8Google Scholar
Garner, A. S. (2013). Home visiting and the biology of toxic stress: Opportunities to address early childhood adversity. Pediatrics, 132(Suppl. 2), S65–S73. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-1021DGoogle Scholar
Ginsburg, K. R., & Jablow, M. M. (2005). Building resilience in children and teens: Giving kids roots and wings. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.Google Scholar
Green, J. G., McLaughlin, K. A., Alegría, M., et al. (2013). School mental health resources and adolescent mental health service use. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(5), 501–510. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2013.03.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, J., Porter, L., Longhi, D., Becker-Green, J., & Dreyfus, S. (2012). Reducing adverse childhood experiences (ACE) by building community capacity: A summary of Washington Family Policy Council research findings. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 40(4), 325–334. doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2012.707463Google Scholar
Harpin, V., Mazzone, L., Raynaud, J. P., Kahle, J., & Hodgkins, P. (2016). Long-term outcomes of ADHD: A systematic review of self-esteem and social function. Journal of Attention Disorders, 20(4), 295–305. doi.org/10.1177/1087054713486516CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, P. A., Taylor, R., Minor, B. L., et al. (2019). The REDCap consortium: Building an international community of software platform partners. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 95, 103208. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2019.103208CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, P. A., Taylor, R., Thielke, R., et al. (2009). Research electronic data capture (REDCap): A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 42(2), 377–381. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2008.08.010Google Scholar
Jellinek, M. S., & Murphy, J. M. (1988). Pediatric symptom checklist. Massachusetts General Hospital. www.massgeneral.org/assets/MGH/pdf/psychiatry/psc/psc-english.pdfGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kataoka, S. H., Zhang, L., & Wells, K. B. (2002). Unmet need for mental health care among US children: Variation by ethnicity and insurance status. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(9), 1548–1555. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.9.1548Google Scholar
Kloos, B., Hill, J., Thomas, E., et al. (2020). Community psychology: Linking individuals and communities. (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Kutash, K., Duchnowski, A. J., & Green, A. L. (2011). School-based mental health programs for students who have emotional disturbances: Academic and social-emotional outcomes. School Mental Health, 3(4), 191–208. doi.org/10.1007/s12310-011-9062-9Google Scholar
Lacourse, E., Coté, S., Nagin, D. S., et al. (2002). A longitudinal–experimental approach to testing theories of antisocial behavior development. Development and Psychopathology, 14(4), 909–924. doi.org/10.1017/s0954579402004121Google Scholar
Larkin, H., Shields, J. J., & Anda, R. F. (2012). The health and social consequences of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) across the lifespan: An introduction to prevention and intervention in the community. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 40(4), 263–270. doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2012.707439Google Scholar
Merikangas, K. R., He, J. P., Brody, D., et al. (2010a). Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders among US children in the 2001–2004 NHANES. Pediatrics, 125(1), 75–81. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-2598CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Merikangas, K. R., He, J. P., Burstein, M., et al. (2010b). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in US adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication–Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 980–989. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.05.017Google Scholar
Mersky, J. P., Topitzes, J., & Reynolds, A. J. (2013). Impacts of adverse childhood experiences on health, mental health, and substance use in early adulthood: A cohort study of an urban, minority sample in the US. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(11), 917–925. doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.07.011Google Scholar
Moore, K. A., & Ramirez, A. N. (2016). Adverse childhood experience and adolescent well-being: Do protective factors matter? Child Indicators Research, 9(2), 299–316. doi.org/10.1007/s12187-015-9324-4Google Scholar
Nabors, L. A., & Reynolds, M. W. (2000). Program evaluation activities: Outcomes related to treatment for adolescents receiving school-based mental health services. Children’s Services: Social Policy, Research, and Practice, 3(3), 175–189. doi.org/10.1207/s15326918cs0303_4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nock, M. K., & Ferriter, C. (2005). Parent management of attendance and adherence in child and adolescent therapy: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 8(2), 149–166. doi.org/10.1007/s10567-005-4753-0Google Scholar
Patel, V., Flisher, A. J., Hetrick, S., & McGorry, P. (2007). Mental health of young people: A global public-health challenge. Lancet, 369(9569), 1302–1313. doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(07)60368-7Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1985). Resilience in the face of adversity: Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 147(6), 598–611. doi.org/10.1192/bjp.147.6.598Google Scholar
Sack, V., & Murphey, D. (2018). The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences, nationally, by state, and by race or ethnicity. Bethesda, MD: Child Trends. www.childtrends.org/publications/prevalence-adverse-childhood-experiences-nationally-state-race-ethnicityGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, C., Collins, C., Parker, J., et al. (2020). Coalescing investments in school mental health in South Carolina. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 5(3). doi.org/10.1111/camh.12382Google Scholar
Shonkoff, J. P., Garner, A. S., Siegel, B. S., et al. (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232–e246. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2663Google Scholar
Slopen, N., Shonkoff, J. P., Albert, M. A., et al. (2016). Racial disparities in child adversity in the US: Interactions with family immigration history and income. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(1), 47–56. doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2015.06.013Google Scholar
Spoth, R., Greenberg, M., Bierman, K., & Redmond, C. (2004). PROSPER community–university partnership model for public education systems: Capacity-building for evidence-based, competence-building prevention. Prevention Science, 5(1), 31–39. doi.org/10.1023/b:prev.0000013979.52796.8bCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spoth, R., Guyll, M., Lillehoj, C. J., Redmond, C., & Greenberg, M. (2007). Prosper study of evidence‐based intervention implementation quality by community–university partnerships. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(8), 981–999. doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20207Google Scholar
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Clair, S., et al. (2011). Preventing substance misuse through community–university partnerships: Randomized controlled trial outcomes 4½ years past baseline. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40(4), 440–447. doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.12.012Google Scholar
Srivastav, A., Strompolis, M., Moseley, A., & Daniels, K. (2019). The Empower Action Model: Mobilizing prevention to promote well-being and resilience. https://scchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/Empower-Action-Model-research-brief.pdfGoogle Scholar
Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Kataoka, S. H., et al. (2003). A mental health intervention for schoolchildren exposed to violence: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290(5), 603–611. doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.5.603Google Scholar
Sugai, G., & Horner, R. R. (2006). A promising approach for expanding and sustaining school-wide positive behavior support. School Psychology Review, 35(2), 245–259. doi.org/10.1080/02796015.2006.12087989Google Scholar
Suldo, S. M., Gormley, M. J., DuPaul, G. J., & Anderson-Butcher, D. (2014). The impact of school mental health on student and school-level academic outcomes: Current status of the research and future directions. School Mental Health, 6(2), 84–98. doi.org/10.1007/s12310-013-9116-2Google Scholar
Umberson, D., Williams, K., Thomas, P. A., Liu, H., & Thomeer, M. B. (2014). Race, gender, and chains of disadvantage: Childhood adversity, social relationships, and health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 55(1), 20–38. doi.org/10.1177/0022146514521426Google Scholar
Ungar, M. (2011). The social ecology of resilience: A handbook of theory and practice. New York: Springer Science & Business Media.Google Scholar
Ungar, M., & Liebenberg, L. (2009). The Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM). Halifax, Canada: Resilience Research Centre. https://cyrm.resilienceresearch.org/Google Scholar
Verbitsky-Savitz, N., Hargreaves, M. B., Penoyer, S., et al. (2016). Preventing and mitigating the effects of ACEs by building community capacity and resilience: APPI cross-site evaluation findings. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.Google Scholar
Vivolo, A. M., Matjasko, J. L., & Massetti, G. M. (2011). Mobilizing communities and building capacity for youth violence prevention: The National Academic Centers of Excellence for Youth Violence Prevention. American Journal of Community Psychology, 48(1–2), 141–145. doi.org/10.1007/s10464-010-9419-5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wandersman, A., Kloos, B., Linney, J. A., & Shinn, M. (2005). Science and community psychology: Enhancing the vitality of community research and action. American Journal of Community Psychology, 35(3–4), 105–106. doi.org/10.1007/s10464-005-3387-1Google Scholar
Weist, M. D. (1997). Expanded school mental health services: A national movement in progress. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 319–352. doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9035-1_9Google Scholar
Weist, M. D., Sander, M. A., Lever, N. A., et al. (2002). School mental health’s response to terrorism and disaster. Journal of School Violence, 1(4), 5–31. doi.org/10.1300/j202v01n04_02Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×