Abstract: A School-Based, Indicated Preventive Intervention to Respond to and Prevent Student Emotional and Behavioral Health Crises and Promote School Safety (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

Schedule:

Friday, June 1, 2018

Concord (Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, DC)

* noted as presenting author

Jill Haak Bohnenkamp, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Sharon A. Hoover, PhD, Associate Professor, Co-Director, Center for School Mental Health, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Cindy M. Schaeffer, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Rachel Siegal, BA, Clinical Research Assistant, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

April K Lewis, MEd, Executive Director, Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, MD

Cindy Nguyen, MSW, Program Coordinator, Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, MD

Introduction:

Schools across the nation are struggling with the growing number of intense student emotional and behavioral incidents that cannot be quickly diffused, modified, or resolved and represent a significant risk to school safety. However, crises in the school environment more typically include a continuum of incidents related to students’ emotional and behavioral health and various factors that influence it. Schools are working to formulate comprehensive, evidence-based crisis response and prevention interventions to address this continuum of student emotional and behavioral health needs. Funded through the National Institute of Justice’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, this study investigates the implementation and results of a comprehensive indicated preventive intervention to address student emotional and behavioral health needs and promote school safety in a large, suburban school district. The intervention is a comprehensive training, organization, and support protocol for school and community stakeholders aimed at increasing stakeholder competence in responding to and preventing student emotional and behavioral health crises using evidence-based, culturally competent, school-informed strategies that address emotional and behavioral health concerns across the continuum.

Methods: A 2-year randomized controlled trial of the Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Response and Prevention (EBH-CRP) intervention was conducted with 40 schools spanning elementary, middle and high school levels. The study evaluated the impact of the EBH-CRP intervention on school safety outcomes, emotional and behavioral health service utilization and quality outcomes, educator knowledge and preparedness to address emotional and behavioral health concerns, and a cost-benefit analysis.

Results: Findings from both intervention years will be presented. Preliminary findings from Year 1 of implementation indicate a significant increase in educator knowledge and preparedness to address emotional and behavioral health concerns, less frequent arrests and assaults and decreased suspensions in intervention schools compared to comparison schools.

Conclusions: This session will describe the successful implementation of this multi-component, comprehensive indicated preventive intervention. We will also summarize findings regarding the impact of the EBH-CRP intervention on increasing the ability of schools to prevent and respond to emotional and behavioral health crises and promote school safety.

Abstract: A School-Based, Indicated Preventive Intervention to Respond to and Prevent Student Emotional and Behavioral Health Crises and Promote School Safety (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

440 A School-Based, Indicated Preventive Intervention to Respond to and Prevent Student Emotional and Behavioral Health Crises and Promote School Safety