Focus Area for the Mountain Plains MHTTC

Educators are often the first line of support in addressing mental health needs for students. They recognize the impact mental health has on learning and achievement. In response, the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) has developed training, technical assistance, and resources to support school-based mental health. The MHTTC team continues to develop online resource guides and toolkits as well as curricula and self-paced trainings to assist school professionals in understanding and implementing core concepts of best practices in school mental health. The Mountain Plains MHTTC team members are also available for technical assistance and in person or distance training on topics and issues most relevant to your school, district, or state.

Primary Goals of the School-Based Mental Health Program Include:

• Provide training and technical assistance on implementation of evidence based mental health services, supports, and programs in schools and districts.
• Build capacity and create learning communities among educators.
• Provide resources and support for schools, districts, and teachers to address trauma and incorporate trauma responsive practices in the classroom.
• Integrate mental health into teacher preparation so teachers are prepared to support all students.

Welcome to HealtheKnowledge, a free online learning & low-cost continuing education for health and behavioral health professionals. You can enroll in either of the following ongoing courses throughout the Mountain Plains MHTTC:

• Building Capacity of School Personnel to Promote Positive Mental Health in Children and Youth

• Suicide Prevention Across the Educational Continuum

Classroom WISE is a FREE 3-part training package that assists K-12 educators and school staff in supporting the mental health of students in the classroom. Developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, this package offers evidence-based strategies and skills to engage and support students experiencing adversity and distress.

In addition to a free online course on mental health literacy for educators and school staff, a video library and resource collection are also available!

Click to download

Aimed at being used as a companion training for Classroom WISE, the Central East MHTTC and National Center for School Mental Health have created Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity (CIE) WISE. 

In CIE WISE, K-12 educators and school staff learn how inequities in education impact student mental health and how implicit bias influences our perceptions and responses. Educators and school staff are also equipped with culturally inclusive and equitable strategies to promote student well-being and support students experiencing adversity, distress, and mental health concerns in the classroom.

Toolkits

Promoting Positive Mental Health in Rural Schools

This guide provides resources specific to addressing the unique mental health training and technical assistance needs of schools serving rural and remote communities. School administrators, faculty, and support staff are facing increasing pressure to respond to a host of unmet mental health needs of students in K-12 and higher education.

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School Mental Health Toolkit

This toolkit is a blueprint for school mental health services and will guide community members, schools, local leaders, and districts through 10 best practices, including strategies for implementing, funding, and sustaining mental health services in both rural and urban schools.

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Strengthening Resilience: Promoting Positive School Mental Health Among Indigenous Youth

The purpose of this document is to provide tools for K-12 educators, administrators, and mental health treatment providers to better address the learning and behavioral health needs of Indigenous youth in a holistic manner.

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Trauma Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit: National Edition

The Trauma Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit is designed to guide users to develop a plan and to organize efforts to meet evidence-based practice standards in creating trauma responsive schools. The toolkit integrates knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices. Throughout, it aims to avoid re-traumatization. The toolkit provides an action-oriented guide for school administrators, staff, and teachers, along with community systems that serve children, youth, and families.

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To view resources about the global COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected school mental health, please click here. 

Please reach out to us at [email protected] to inquire about additional resources regarding school-based mental health and other mental health topics.