Developing Comprehensive School Safety and Mental Health Programs

"This book is an incredible resource full of practical strategies for all school professionals engaged in school safety and mental health initiatives! Each chapter provides an overview of the research underlying evidenced-based practices while also focusing on the 'nuts and bolts' of how to establish effective school safety and mental health programs. It is a one-of-a-kind book that emphasizes critical strategies needed to help establish a multi-disciplinary team approach, with an emphasis on engaging teachers and parents. A strong focus is placed on a comprehensive approach to school safety and mental health programming that includes: how to integrate new initiatives within existing intervention frameworks, culturally competent practices, trauma informed approaches, threat and suicide assessment, and crisis prevention through intervention and recovery. The book concludes with strategies on how to conduct high quality professional development and sustain new initiatives, critical to schools in the era of limited resources and overwhelming needs. A must read for administrators, educators, school mental health professionals, school safety and security professionals and other key stakeholders invested in school safety and mental health!" —Melissa A. Reeves, PhD, NCSP, LCMHC,associate professor, School Psychology Program & Psychology Department, Winthrop University, past-president, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

"This thorough, engaging, and accessible text is an excellent resource for both experienced educators and graduate students. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of school-based mental health services within a multi-tiered framework and offer clear and practical recommendations for implementation. While there is a clear and consistent focus on culturally responsive practices and social justice throughout the book, the standalone chapter on culturally responsive school mental health services and education is quite strong and provides a useful framework for developing educators' cultural competence, adapting interventions for different cultural groups, and addressing systemic factors that impact mental health of students from minoritized backgrounds."—Celeste M. Malone, PhD, MS,associate professor of School Psychology and program coordinator, Howard University School of Education;president-elect, National Association of School Psychologists, 2021-2022, member, APA Board of Educational Affairs

"More than ever before, schools face an imperative to promote environments that are physically and psychologically safe, and support mental wellness among students, families, and staff. Doing so, however, requires significant planning, buy-in, and integration of efforts. Developing Comprehensive School Safety and Mental Health Programs: An Integrated Approach offers a new and contemporary roadmap to help schools and districts address this challenge.

Drs. Roth and Erbacheroffer a rich and comprehensive, yet practical and application-focused reference that uniquely integrates efforts to ensure school safety and mental health. This volume highlights and brings together existing frameworks and approaches including trauma-informed care, crisis prevention and response, violence prevention, culturally responsive service delivery, positive behavior supports, and more. Just as importantly, Roth and Erbacher describe the important steps schools and administrators must take to build staff knowledge and buy-in, and effectively advocate for improved service delivery and program development. All education personnel, and particularly school-employed mental health professionals, would benefit from maintaining a copy of Developing Comprehensive School Safety and Mental Health Programs on their bookshelves." —Eric Rossen, PhD, NCSP,director, Professional Development and Standards, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP); National Register Health Service Psychologist

"I’ve been involved in school crisis prevention and intervention and student mental health for four decades and finally a book provides what we need to know to make the difference in student lives! This book is a timely masterpiece with a wealth of practical information to help school personnel truly focus on supporting student mental health and primary prevention. School psychologist practitioners Roth and Erbacher have hit one out of the park with this comprehensive, practical, must have book for school personnel. School psychology is blessed to have these two experienced professionals who have provided a wealth of information on how to develop and sustain safety and prevention programs much needed by schools today." —Scott Poland, EdD, LP, NCSP, professor at the College of Psychology, director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention Office, Nova Southeastern University; past-president National Association of School Psychologists

"Each chapter of this book reads as an executive summary for practitioners covering the waterfront of school mental health programs and practices. It is packed with valuable, practical guidance succinctly presented in terse declarative prose and bullet lists covering key topics such as culturally responsive practices, multi-tiered systems of support, positive behavioral interventions and supports, social and emotional learning, and trauma-informed schools. It offers authoritative advice on effective school practices in mental health screening, social media monitoring, suicide assessment and violence prevention, among others. This is your one-stop resource for school mental health services." —Dewey Cornell, PhD,professor of Education and Clinical Psychologist, University of Virginia; director of the UVA Virginia Youth Violence Project; principal author, Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines

"This book is a valuable and comprehensive resource for school administrators and mental health professionals. Foundational practices and considerations, such as positive school climate, culturally responsive teaching and mental health services, multi-tiered systems of supports, and family-school collaboration are reviewed. I especially appreciate the inclusion of a chapter on monitoring social media and technology, with its practical considerations and suggestions for a topic that challenges educators and parents. In this book, Jeffrey Roth and Terri Erbacher provide current and helpful guidance to schools on topics such as crisis prevention and preparedness, violence prevention, including threat assessment and intervention, and suicide prevention and postvention. Comprehensive approaches to promote positive behavior and mental health, including positive behavioral interventions and supports and social and emotional learning, with helpful case studies and tips for integrating these frameworks in the curriculum. The important topics of mental health screening and trauma-informed practices are also covered. In addition to this excellent content, Roth and Erbacher provide readers with detailed guidance about professional development and how to create and maintain an infrastructure to implement, evaluate, and sustain multiple programs. The balance of foundational and infrastructure issues with more specific content makes this book ideal not only for practitioners, but also for university professors teaching courses on school safety and system-wide prevention." —Amanda B. Nickerson, PhD, NCSP,professor of School Psychology, director, Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention; University of Buffalo, the State University of New York; Co-author, School Crisis Prevention and Intervention: The PREPaRE Model

"This comprehensive book provides an expert analysis for school staff to learn how to keep their schools physically and psychologically safe. Drs. Roth and Erbacher have embedded research and best practice documents from a variety of school safety professionals and researchers. Their analysis provides a range of topics from trauma, social emotional learning, violence and crisis prevention, social media, positive school climate, and mental health delivery. This book has the power to provide any educator with a quick reference to support a safe school climate." —Christina Conolly, PsyD,NCSP,director, Division of Psychological Services, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland; Co-author, School Crisis Prevention and Intervention: The PREPaRE Model

"Developing Comprehensive School Safety and Mental Health Programs: An Integrated Approach is an invaluable book focusing on school crisis, safety, and mental health that will be useful for school-based and other mental health practitioners, graduate students, and university faculty. Dr. Jeff Roth and Dr. Terri Erbacher provide numerous applied and feasible strategies and considerations that are not only drawn from evidence-based research, but also from their years of experience as practicing school psychologists. This book provides extensive information on a variety of critical topics, including suicide prevention, trauma-informed schools, culturally responsive school mental health services, and family-school collaboration. It is an invaluable resource that complements and expands upon other existing school safety and mental health publications." —Jacqueline Brown, PhD, NCSP,associate professor of Psychology, University of Montana-Missoula; Co-editor, Supporting Bereaved Students at School