In schools, we screen for hearing, vision, and academics… but what about mental health? Schools across the U.S. have been implementing universal mental health screening- which has only increased since the covid-19 pandemic, and the greater mental health needs in our schools. In this session. Dr. Goodman-Scott will share how to get started with screening, and how this fits within your school’s MTSS framework.

Clinical counseling strategies aim to provide structure in mental health treatment -- not to be a rote, one-size-fits-all process. Bringing these evidence-based techniques into the school setting is an important part of the counselor’s work. Delivering these strategies from a culturally-sensitive lens is crucial in order to serve the needs of all learners. Dr. Bikowsky will walk through several different evidence-based clinical counseling strategies and how to embed these strategies within your Tier II and Tier III MTSS system. 

Schools review and collect data on academic performance, attendance, and discipline referrals. But does this give us the whole story about the systems and needs of our students? In this session, Dr. Natalie Edirmanasinghe will discuss other forms of data and collection strategies that can provide school leaders with a clearer picture of how to address the root cause of student challenges. 

 School counselors and support staff are uniquely positioned to provide equity focused mental health supports for students with elevated needs using culturally responsive Tier 2 systems and practices. In this session, you will gain practical strategies to develop and fine tune your process for delivering equity focused Tier 2 supports, including data to identify students, selecting culturally sustaining evidence-based Tier 2 interventions, and making data-based decisions.

Have you been hearing about restorative practices for a while now, and thought, That is something I need to get to and learn more about. This is your chance! Attend this session with Dr. Damien Sweeney for an introduction to restorative practices. Use real-life scenarios to help model these practices for school counselors. You won’t want to miss this trauma-informed and healing-centered approach!

Now more than ever, schools need a plethora of interventions to address trauma experienced by students and staff. In this session, Dr. Jennifer Betters-Bubon will provide an overview of  tier 1 strategies (e.g., focus on staff wellness) and tier ⅔ evidence based and research informed interventions (e.g., Bounce Back, Trails to Wellness, SAIG groups, CICO). Leave with new ideas for creating healing systems!