Comprehensive Student Emotional Well-Being
Comprehensive student emotional well-being focuses on nurturing the mental and emotional health of students through a supportive and inclusive educational environment. This ensures that all students have access to resources and strategies that promote resilience, emotional intelligence, and positive mental health practices while emphasizing the importance of creating a school culture where students feel valued, understood, and equipped to navigate the ebb and flow of life. It aims to empower students with the skills and support they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom through:
- Targeted programs
- Supportive policies
- Community engagement
developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health-action-guide/pdf/DASH_MH_Action_Guide_508.pdf
This action guide describes six in-school strategies that are proven to promote and support mental health and well-being. For each strategy, the guide also describes approaches, or specific ways to put the strategy into action, and examples of evidence-based policies, programs, and practices
developed by The Baker Center for Children and Families
This report was developed to summarize the evidence to support mental health best practices in schools. It covers frameworks, evidence-based programs, and more.
developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers
https://learning.ccsso.org/advancing-comprehensive-mental-health-systems
This report outlines five key steps state education agencies can take to support a comprehensive approach to school mental health, alongside state examples and relevant resources.
Universal Student Supports & Early Intervention
Universal supports are designed to reach every student, providing a foundation of mental health education, awareness, and prevention strategies to promote well-being across the entire school population. These supports aim to create a positive and inclusive environment that nurtures students’ emotional and social skills and serves as a foundation for prevention and early intervention. This could include:
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum: Implementing SEL programs in classrooms to teach all students skills in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
- Mental Health Literacy: Educating students on mental health issues, including how to recognize signs of mental health struggles in themselves or others and how to seek help. This can involve classroom lessons, assemblies, or integration into health education.
- School Climate & Social Connectedness: Enhancing the sense of belonging and community within the school through activities that promote inclusivity, respect, and understanding among students and staff. This could include peer mentorship programs, diversity and inclusion training, and initiatives that encourage positive interactions across the school community.
developed by the Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m-n1cxrPEVn4ARrRh1TtqjktnQcxsWtg6ezocW1teRo/edit
This tool provides questions to guide districts and schools in selecting appropriate screening tools, identifying procedures for securing consent, administering screeners and follow-up.
developed by the National Center for School Mental Health
https://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/media/som/microsites/ncsmh/documents/quality-guides/Screening.pdf
This step-by-step guide provides a roadmap for developing a school mental health screening plan.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social-emotional learning equips students with the skills needed to name and respond to emotions, strengthen their sense of identity and belonging, form and nurture healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions for themselves and in support of others.
What is Social-Emotional Learning? (Committee for Children)
https://www.cfchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/policy-advocacy/what-and-why-one-pager.pdf
This one-page document summarizes what SEL is and what it isn’t, which can be a helpful tool for advocating for social-emotional learning in schools.
developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
https://schoolguide.casel.org/
This comprehensive guide equips school administrators and staff with the information, resources, and tools needed for systemic implementation of SEL schoolwide.
developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
A resource hub for research, information, strategies, and examples from districts across the country for effective SEL integration and implementation.
developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
https://signaturepractices.casel.org/
Three evidence-based practices that serve as on on-ramp for integrating SEL into daily practices that foster collaborative and supportive learning and working environments.
Mental Health Literacy
Mental health literacy supports students in understanding how to care for their minds, recognize signs of mental health conditions and how to treat them, and let go of the shame often linked to these issues.
developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Information, strategies and considerations, and example programming to support mental health literacy in schools.
developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Network
https://www.classroomwise.org/
Classroom WISE is a no-cost 3-part training package that assists K-12 educators and school staff in supporting the mental health of students in the classroom.
Mental Health Literacy Programs (Mental Health Instruction)
https://www.mentalhealthinstruction.org/the-library/?_category=mental-health-literacy
This resource library highlights high quality mental health education curricula, tools, and other resources for educators focused on mental health literacy.
The Mental Health Literacy Collaborative
https://www.themhlc.org/resources
This organization has several resources to promote mental health literacy including an advocacy toolkit, low-cost trainings, and opportunities to network with others working on promoting mental health education.
School Climate & Connectedness
A safe and supportive school environment, where everyone feels welcomed and connected helps students feel seen, validated, and affirmed for exactly who they are – giving them access to a space where they can freely process and explore what makes them – them.
developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/school_connectedness.htm
School connectedness reflects students’ belief that peers and adults in the school support, value, and care about their individual well-being as well as their academic progress. It is an important protective factor that promotes the health and well-being of students. This webpage provides data and best practices to promote school connectedness.
developed by RMC Health
https://www.rmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IssueBrief_School-Climate.pdf
Explains the importance of a positive school climate and provides concrete strategies to improve your school’s climate.
developed by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/about
This package includes a resources to for schools and school districts to support improving school climate.
developed by the U.S. Department of Education
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/guiding-principles.pdf
This guide is intended for students and school staff, featuring specific recommendations for evidence-based practices that allow students to learn, grow, and be successful.
developed by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/trauma-sensitive-schools-training-package
The Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package offers school and district administrators and staff a framework and roadmap for adopting a trauma-sensitive approach school- or district-wide.
Tiered Student Supports
Tiered supports introduce additional layers of intervention that are progressively more intensive, based on the specific needs of students. Tiered supports typically include targeted support for students who show signs of struggling and intensive support for those with significant mental health challenges. This approach ensures that while every student benefits from a baseline level of support, those who need more specialized or intensive help receive it in a timely and effective manner. This could include:
- Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) Programs: A targeted intervention where students start and end the day checking in with an adult mentor, helping them to set and review goals for their emotional and behavioral progress.
- Social Skills Groups: Organizing sessions that focus on building specific social skills, such as making friends, managing conflict, and understanding social cues.
- Individual Counseling: Providing one-on-one counseling with a qualified mental health professional to address specific emotional or behavioral issues.
- Wraparound Services: Coordinating a comprehensive support system that involves school professionals, families, and community resources to address the multifaceted needs of the student.
Visit the “Effective Implementation” section of the Resource Hub to access evidence-based clearinghouses to help you identify specific interventions that meet your needs.
