Creating Healing School Communities

Creating Healing School Communities provides readers with the necessary “trauma‑informed” tools to intervene on behalf of struggling students and create a beneficial educational environment.

School systems are pressured to raise the level of academic achievement, but children who are exposed to trauma often bring a complicated set of needs to the classroom that can impact their willingness to learn, their cognitive function, their ability to form lasting relationships, and even their physical health. For school mental health providers, it can be overwhelming to find the best ways to support students who have experienced trauma and stress: What are the best ways to, understand and assist these vulnerable children?
 
School‑based programs can minimize the impact trauma has on learning and help students who may otherwise not have access to such support to develop the coping skills to manage ongoing and future stress. With examples of core treatment components and engaging case studies, this book illustrates how effective school‑based interventions ensure that students have the opportunity to heal from trauma. The authors take a holistic approach to trauma‑informed practices, and provide a practical overview of evidence‑based interventions using the Multi‑Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) model. Under the MTSS, trauma interventions take place on three distinct levels that address a wide variety of students and differing degrees of trauma exposure: Universal (Tier 1), Targeted (Tier 2), and Intensive (Tier 3). Creating Healing School Communities shows how school mental health professionals, educators, and administrators can work together to help students overcome trauma and excel in the classroom and in life.