With targeted funding from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the South Southwest MHTTC is working to expand the capacity of schools in our region to deliver evidence-based mental health promotion, supports and services to students within the school setting. We are deeply committed to supporting the work of professionals in education and mental health as they build school mental health in Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) and to improving the lives of their students, especially those experiencing mental health challenges.
We accomplish this work through information sharing, resource development, consultation and training, and by partnering with state agencies supporting school mental health in the region.
Mindful Compassion for Educators
The Mindful Self-Compassion for Educators is a 6-week online course. All participants who finish the course by the course end date will receive a Certificate of Completion and can earn 1 graduate-level credit (provided through Courses4Teachers). This training is designed for educators, caregivers, and those who work in service of young people. There is no prerequisite or prior experience required for this course. Both beginners and those with significant mindfulness experience find this training deeply impactful.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
The South Southwest will partner with the National Council for Mental Well-being to host an intensive, facilitator training in Youth Mental Health First Aid. This training will be held virtually in June and registration will open shortly.
Creating Supportive Environments for LGBTQI2+ Students and Staff In Schools
The South Southwest MHTTC presented a four-part webinar series dedicated to supporting the LGBTQIA2+ community, hosted from October 28th through December 14th. The webinar series brought together professionals from the school mental health field to share knowledge, lived experiences, affirming practices, and resources to create supportive spaces for the LGBTQIA2+ community in schools in our region.
School-wide Screening for Mental Health
Schools are in a unique position to screen for social, emotional, and behavioral risks for students. This document provides guidance for schools on planning for school-wide screening activities and organizing their response to student risk through a multi-tiered system of support.
Fostering Resilience: Responding to the Needs of School-Aged Children
Schools serve a critical function in supporting the resilience of students. This resource provides educators and other school staff with strategies for supporting the resilience of students during school closures.
Supporting Student Resilience: Strategies for Teachers During School Closures
This infographic provides a graphic depiction of strategies that school staff can use to promote coping and resilience during the pandemic.
Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness in Telehealth (español)
This brief identifies issues to consider when conducting mental health services and supports through telehealth with culturally diverse communities and provides strategies to ensure that the national Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards continue to drive efforts towards culturally competent care.
Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package
Developed by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, the Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package offers school and district administrators and staff a framework and roadmap for adopting a trauma-sensitive approach school- or districtwide.
Creating, Supporting, And Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework
Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this resource guide presents a tiered approach to creating a trauma-informed school environment that addresses the needs of all students, staff, administrators, and families who might be at risk for experiencing the symptoms of traumatic stress.
Trauma-Informed School Strategies during COVID-19
Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this fact sheet Provides trauma-informed school strategies in response to COVID-19.
Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom: A Resource for Educators
Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this resource guide helps educators understand how they might address the interplay of race and trauma and its effects on students in the classroom.
Professional Quality of Life Scare (PROQOL)
Available through the Center for Victims of Torture, the PROQOL measures the negative and positive effects of helping others who experience suffering and trauma.
Teacher Subjective Well-being Questionnaire (TSWQ): Measure and User Guide
Available through the Open Science Framework, the Teacher Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire is an 8-item self-report rating scales for measuring teachers' job-specific wellbeing.
STAT: Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma
Developed by a group of experts in the fields of secondary traumatic stress (STS), education, and technology, the STAT curriculum is designed to help educators understand Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and provide ways to mitigate its effects through the use of self-care techniques and a variety of helpful resources.
Compassion Resilience Toolkit for School
Developed in partnership by the Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination, Rogers InHealth, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Education, the Compassion Resilience Toolkit for Schools offers information, activities, and resources for school leadership and staff to understand, recognize, and minimize the experience of compassion fatigue and to increase compassion resilience.
National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts and Schools
Co-developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office and the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH), the this National School Mental Health resource helps states, districts, and schools across the United States understand the core components of comprehensive school mental health and engage in a planning process around implementation of services.
The SHAPE System: School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System
Hosted by the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the SHAPE System is a public-access, web-based platform that offers schools, districts, and states/territories a workspace and targeted resources to support school mental health quality improvement.
Screening and Assessment Library
Part of the SHAPE System, the Screening and Assessment Library provided information and links to free assessment measures that can be used within school mental health. Users can filter measures based on focus area, assessment purpose, student age, language, reporter, and cost.
Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs
Like physical health, positive mental health promotes success in life. This resource highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K–12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents seven corresponding recommendations.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Developed by the National Council for Behavioral Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches school staff how to help adolescents (age 12-18) who are experiencing mental health or addiction challenges or who are in crisis.
Teen Mental Health First Aid
Developed by the National Council for Behavioral Health, Teen Mental Health First Aid teaches high school students how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health or substance-use issues in their friends and peers.
