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PRESENTERS Stacy Skalski, Ph.D. NASP Director of Public Policy sskalski@naspweb.org Understanding the Public Policy Landscape for School Mental Health MHEDIC Meeting Chicago, Illinois May 20, 2009

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2 Topics for this Session The Public Policy Opportunities for School Mental Health Current Proposed Federal Legislation Federal and State Issues Coalitions

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The Public Policy Opportunities for School Mental Health

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4 Foundations for Building Public Policy Grounding documents UCLA School Mental Health Policy Briefs The Role of Research Basic Assumptions for Public Policy State vs. Federal Issues Collaborations with National Organizations Things change as people change. Types of Public Policy Short-Term Policy Formation Long-Term Policy Formation Policy Promotion

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Legislative Priorities

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6 Capitol Hill Priorities Legislation Policy advancement through coalition activities Professional relations outreach to US DOE New emphasis under Secretary Duncan Early Childhood Prevention and Services ($500m Title 1 Early Childhood, $300m Early Learning Challenge (0-5), $162.5 Early Reading First (research)) Community SchoolsSchool-Community Partnerships

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7 Current Legislative Opportunities Workforce: Reducing the Shortages of School and Community Child Mental Health Professionals Increased Student Achievement through Increased Student Support Act (HR 1361, S538) Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act (HR 1932, S999) Advancing School Mental Health Mental Health in the Schools Act (TBD) The Youth PROMISE Act (HR 1064, S435) Advancing School-Community Collaborations and Medicaid in the Schools Healthy Schools Act (S1034) Full Service Schools Act (TBD) School Based Health Clinics Act of 2007 (TBD)

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8 Current Legislative Opportunities, continued Leadership in US DOE for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel and Interagency Collaborations Reducing Barriers to Learning Act (TBD) Advancing Positive Behavior Supports Positive Behavior for Effective Schools Act (TBD) Anti-Bullying and Harassment Safe Schools Improvement Act (HR2262) Bullying and Gang Reduction for Improved Education Act (HR 1589)

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9 Reducing the Shortage of School Mental Health Providers The Issues: There is a supply/demand shortage of school and community child mental health professionals in the country. Existing training program capacity will not meet this demand. There is also a shortage of professors. State higher education funding support is diminishing.

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10 Reducing the Shortage of School MH Providers, continued Progress: College Cost Reduction Act (2007) Public Service Employees Loan Forgiveness Program Higher Education Improvement Act (2008) Loan Forgiveness for Areas of National Need: Mental Health Pending Legislation: Increased Student Achievement through Increased Student Support Act Builds a pipeline between school psych, counselor, social worker university training programs and low income school districts Loan Forgiveness for those that stay for 5 years post-grad Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act Loan repayment and scholarships for MH including SP, SSW, SC Training grants

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11 Education and School Mental Health Funding The Issues: Declining federal investment in education and IDEA funding IDEA authorized funding level is up to 40%. Current funding is roughly 17% (11.5B, per child federal share: $1713) Increases in costs to states and schools to implement federal programs (i.e. NCLB accountability mandates) Lack of federal programs specifically addressing school based mental health Elementary & Secondary School Counseling Program ($52m) Safe Schools, Healthy Students declining funding and narrow scope ($78m) Safe and Drug Free School declining funding and narrow scope (national: $173 proposed $283; state: $294.8 cut) Mental Health Integration Grants ($5.9m, proposed $6.9m)

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12 Education and School Mental Health Funding, continued Progress: Funding increases to ESSCP program American Economic Recovery Plan $100b for Education representing 12% of total stimulus plan $11.7 billion for IDEA Current federal education funding is 3% Proposed Legislation Keep our Promise to Americas Teachers and Children Act (HR 1102) Requires full federal share funding of NCLB and IDEA

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13 Advancing School Mental Health The Issues: Increasing mental health needs related to the effects of the economy Increasing awareness of mental health needs of students Lack of access to prevention and intervention services Schoolhouse to jailhouse pipeline Disproportionate representation: racial and economic divides

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14 Advancing School Mental Health, continued Progress: Stigma is diminishing. Increased interest in school mental health programs and supports. Passage of the Mental Health Parity Act and SCHIP Research linking intervention effectiveness and educational outcomes. Proposed Legislation: Mental Health in the Schools Act Expands the safe schools healthy students programs focus to mental health and expands funding for the program The Youth PROMISE Act (HR 1064, S435) Emphasizes the importance of prevention and intervention programs to prevent juvenile delinquency

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15 DOE Leadership for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel The Issues: No designated leadership representing the services of professionals who are responsible for addressing barriers to learning No voice at the table at the federal level U.S. Department of Education doesnt reflect typical representative structure in states and local schools Terminology different in IDEA and NCLB (related services vs. pupil services) Terminology does not reflect importance to our work to learning and instruction

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16 DOE Leadership for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, continued Progress: NCLB draft released last year included new titlespecialized instructional support personnel Obama sponsored a bill that included proposal to create the Office of Specialized Instructional Supports Proposed Legislation: Reducing Barriers to Learning Act Creates Office of Specialized Instructional Supports (SIS) Replaces pupil services with SIS Personnel Provides grants to states to develop this leadership in SEA Positive Behavior for Effective Schools Contains the proposal to create the Office of Specialized Instructional Supports Adds PBIS and Early Intervening Services language to NCLB

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17 Advancing Positive Behavior Supports The Issues: The research on the effectiveness of positive behavior interventions and supports programs is compelling Increased student achievement is realized consistently across Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) schools School psychologists are actively involved in the delivery of these programs and related services across the country PBIS programs increase access to a full continuum of mental health supports Currently, PBIS language is only in IDEA, making it appear as a special education issue A lack of awareness and leadership about the importance of PBIS has stalled its advancement.

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18 Advancing Positive Behavior Supports, continued Progress: The draft language for NCLB released by the House last year included numerous references to PBIS and Early Intervening Services (EIS) Proposed Legislation: Positive Behavior for Effective Schools Act (Rep. Hare and former Sen. Obama) Flexible use of Title 1 funds for advancing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Adds explicit language about PBIS to NCLB Promotes leadership for addressing barriers to learning

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19 Anti-Bullying and Harassment The Issues: Research estimates that 1 out of 4 students experience bullying and harassment in schools Bullying and harassment targeting subgroups (minorities, GLBQT, linguistically diverse) of students is pervasive Issues related to cyber bullying are on the rise Some states have passed legislation to curtail these problems, but other states have ignored the issue Schools need to bring more attention to these issues. There are no current reporting requirements.

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20 Anti-Bullying and Harassment, continued Progress: Many states have brought attention to this issue through legislation Increased awareness about the importance of school climate Proposed Legislation: Safe Schools Improvement Act (Rep Sanchez) Amends Safe and Drug Free Schools Program to include mandated state reporting of incidences of bullying Allows Safe and Drug Free Schools money to be spent on bullying prevention programs

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21 Advancing School-Community Collaborations Based upon Full Service Schools models (Dryfoos) Related programs include: Systems of Care Communities in Schools Full Service Schools Act School Based Health Clinics Secretary Duncan promotes school-community partnerships as a way of providing comprehensive supports to students while utilizing public facilities (schools) more efficiently. Conflicts arise from funding and mission & purpose issues, supplanting vs. supplementing services, poor interagency collaboration, community driven vs. school driven models

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22 Advancing School-Community Collaborations Progress to Date: Safe Schools, Healthy Students Mental Health Integration Grants Systems of Care (SAMHSA) School Based Health Clinics (SAMHSA) Proposed Legislation: Full Service Community Schools Act of 2007 (pending) Sponsor: Steny Hoyer (MD) Amends ESEA Title IV to provide new grant program to establish FSCS ($75K grant to school; $200m authorized appropriations) Qualified services include a variety of things including mental health counseling services. School Based Health Clinic Act of 2007 (pending) Prior Sponsor: Rep. Hooley (no longer in Congress) Grants to establish SBHC (physical, mental health, health ed, and case management) Authorized appropriations up to $50m in first year

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23 Presidents Proposed Budget On p. 35: Highlights of the request for national activities include: $100m for a major new initiative of grant assistance to support new approaches designed to change school culture and climate, and thereby improve character and discipline and reduce drug use, crime, and violence. Promise Neighborhoods: $10m for grants to non- profit, community based organizations to support the development of plans for comprehensive neighborhood programs (Harlem Childrens Zone)

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24 Related Coalitions National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations (NAPSO) http://napso.org/http://napso.org/ Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Education and Health Task Forces http://www.c-c-d.org/http://www.c-c-d.org/ Friends of School Heath Success for All Sponsored by Bazelon Center for MH (Focus: PBIS) Mental Health Liaison Group http://www.mhlg.org/http://www.mhlg.org/

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Questions? Discussion?