Integration of Behavioral Health into Primary Care

“The Collaboratory” integrates various state grants and initiatives to ensure a climate of collaboration. State leaders worked together to develop a State Integration Team to include many state initiatives in order to align the work across the state. The initiatives include: Project AWARE, School Climate Transformation, Pre-K Development, Systems of Care, Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment, OJJDP Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, and State Youth Treatment Planning for Substance Abuse.

The three LEAs (Lyon, Nye, and Washoe School Districts) partnered to develop and provide mental and behavioral health consultation, screening, assessment, and treatment for students and their families on site at school. As a result, services have been provided for 2,042 students (2013-2016 school years). The school districts and community agencies have developed the infrastructure and capacity to continue these services.  

Wisconsin’s SS/HS Team and partners committed to promote and improve recognition and treatment of mental health challenges through improved inter-agency collaboration and improved access to treatment. 

The Menominee Indian School District (MISD), located on the Menominee Tribal Nation in northeastern Wisconsin, was the only Native American LEA to participate in SAMHSA’s SS/HS State Expansion Program. Ninety-two percent of MISD’s students are Native American and 85% of students are economically disadvantaged suggesting a vulnerable and at-risk population. Historical trauma has affected the way of life for Menominee families and their children. Menominee’s economic, socioeconomic, behavioral health, and physical health issues are deeply rooted in past trauma.

The Michigan Health and Education Partnership (MHEP) was created and expanded from its original SS/HS structure to facilitate bidirectional communication among state and local partners to support best practices, integration, and services that contribute to successful educational, physical, and behavioral health outcomes for all children and families.

In each of the three SS/HS LEA, 100% of early childhood staff were trained in early childhood social emotional learning and development, with “booster sessions” (e.g., coaching, additional workshops, follow-up to assessments) provided during the school year. In addition, 100% of children and youth in each SS/HS LEA have been screened for early social, emotional, or developmental delays and a follow-up screening process has been institutionalized. 

The number of students receiving school-based mental health services each year has increased to over 1,800 in 2015-16, which is 16% of all students across the three SS/HS LEAs in Michigan. SS/HS created sustainable collaborations with community partners and strengthened the infrastructure to facilitate student access to mental health services, track referrals, provide trainings and workshops for staff and families, and streamline data collection and sharing.

The State and community leaders partnered to develop the Healthy Schools and Communities Resource Team. The purpose of the team is to promote integration and alignment of the work among Ohio’s federal-funding initiatives, including Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS), Project AWARE, and School Climate Transformation Grants.