Embedded Files
School Districts are invited to share their examples from any part of this process.
All Washington K–12 school districts are required to adopt a plan to screen, recognize, and respond to indicators of social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health (SEBMH) such as, but not limited to, sexual abuse, substance use, violence, or youth suicide. OSPI has created a Model Document districts can use to create their plan, which is included here in its entirety.
It is the NWESD Mission to make the OSPI Model District Template as accessible as possible for districts by creating a road map through this important document.
For more details, please refer to the Model Template itself.
What's in this Guide
Suggestion on how to use this guide:
Suggestion on how to use this guide:
Complete the compliance checklist (see below) to identify your district's areas of strength and need. It is likely that your district already has some of this in place.
Identify your district leadership team (section 1). You may want to do this before the compliance checklist.
Using the information from the checklist, have your team focus on relevant sections of this Toolkit.
Check out the links for each section for resources to support your district's efforts beyond the toolkit. For example, looking for self-paced PD options? See "staff training opportunities" under Section 1.
Reach out to your Educational Service District to help guide you through this process with individual support, relevant trainings and technical support with other districts.
OSPI Model District Template, includes a compliance checklist (expand to see checklist) that comprises the following:
(RCW) 28A.320.127 requires that all K–12 school districts adopt a plan to screen, recognize, and respond to indicators of social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health (SEBMH) such as, but not limited to, sexual abuse, substance use, violence, or youth suicide.
This document guides districts to carry out the screening process for students and to refer and respond for appropriate intervention in a manner that is consistent with research-based practices and compliant with the law.
Screen: District leadership teams are meant to use the template to plan and implement screening of students, including:
1. Identifying what indicators of SEBMH for which to screen. For example: emotional or behavioral distress; exposure to trauma, abuse, or neglect; resilience; risk of violence; risk of suicide; substance use; and,
2. Identifying the student population(s) the district plans to screen.
Recognize, Refer and Respond: Once screening decisions are made, the Model Template guides teams to:
3. Involve all school personnel in supporting students SEBMH;
4. Recognize students at-risk, based on screening results or warning signs, and respond appropriately; and,
5. Review districts’ capacity to respond to SEBMH needs with school and community resources
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Support Available from the NWESD
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Section 1: Team Driven Leadership (pp 6-8 in Model Template)
Section 1: Team Driven Leadership (pp 6-8 in Model Template)
Identify the district leadership team responsible for adopting and leading this plan.
Identify the district departments who must be involved in approving and implementing this plan.
Will the team be an existing group or a new multi-disciplinary team?
What is the district's capacity of Educational Staff Associates with knowledge, experience, or training?
How will districts utilize the expertise of ESAs and staff trained in screening, recognition, and referral?
What are the district’s required and supplemental staff professional learning related to SEBMH?
Section 2: Community Engagement and Participation (pp 9-10 in Model Template)
Section 2: Community Engagement and Participation (pp 9-10 in Model Template)
Identify and partner with health, MH, substance use, and social support services agencies.
What community organization(s) and resource(s) are available for health, mental health, substance use?
What other programs and resources are available, such as before and after school programs, city or local government, faith-based organizations?
Does the district have at least one MOU with community organization(s) for health, mental health, substance use, or social services?
Section 3: Family Engagement and Participation (pp 10-11 in Model Template)
Section 3: Family Engagement and Participation (pp 10-11 in Model Template)
The plan must include protocols and procedures for communication with guardians.
How will the district communicate with parents/guardians about planning and implementing the screening process?
How will parents/guardians consent to screening?
How will the district involve students in screening?
Section 4: Data-Based Decision-Making (p 11 in Model Template)
Section 4: Data-Based Decision-Making (p 11 in Model Template)
Identifying and using existing data sources to make decisions.
What data sources are available and which will be used?
How can can existing data sources be used to identify indicators for the district to prioritize for screening?
What multiple data sources will be used to inform decisions to select students for screening?
Section 5: Screening - Exploration, Installation and Implementation (pp 11-13 in Model Template)
Section 5: Screening - Exploration, Installation and Implementation (pp 11-13 in Model Template)
Adopt a plan for initial screening of indicators of emotional or behavioral distress including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, substance use, violence, and youth suicide. It is recommended that districts start with a small number of students before scaling up to all students.
Will the district screen all students (universal)?
Will the district screen some students (Focused)? It is recommended to start with focused screenings and working up to universal. How will the students be selected?
Will the district screen individual students (Indicated)? How will students be selected?
Does the district have the capacity to respond with Tier 2 and/or3 intervention and services for the anticipated number of students? Using the model template, identify how many students will be screened and may need Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions.
Section 6: Selecting a Screener (pp 13-14 in Model Template)
Section 6: Selecting a Screener (pp 13-14 in Model Template)
Incorporate a research-based best practices in the selection of a screening too selected by district leadership teams. Consider cost, both financial and time, culture and who informants will be.
What indicators does the district plan to measure?
What evidence-based tools will be used?
Section 7: Recognition, Referral, and Response (pp 14-16 in Model Template)
Section 7: Recognition, Referral, and Response (pp 14-16 in Model Template)
Plan must include procedure for staff to recognize and respond to imminent danger to student or others; report of sexual contact or misconduct by a family member, school staff or volunteer and/or suspicions, concerns, or warning signs of emotional or behavioral distress in students.
How will staff respond?
Which school official(s) are responsible for receiving and processing referrals?
How will staff initiatve referrals for students at-risk or experiencing SEBMH distress?
How will staff respond if a student poses an imminent danger to self?
How will staff respond if a student poses an imminent danger to others?
What is the procedure for staff response to a student's disclosure of abuse or neglect by school staff, volunteer or family member?
Section 7G: Postvention (p 16 in Model Template)
Section 7G: Postvention (p 16 in Model Template)
How will the district support students and staff and provide postvention after a crisis or emergency?
What will the district's plan and procedures be for notification and support?
Ongoing Evaluation of Plan
Ongoing Evaluation of Plan
How and when will the effectiveness of your district's plan be evaluated?
Where will the plan be kept to allow for quick access?
How and by whom will staff be informed of the district's plan and how and when will new staff be oriented?
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Resources
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Resources
How do your schools promote a positive school climate?
Protective Factors
What is your district's plan for everyone who works with youth to receive gatekeeper training (i.e. Signs of Suicide, Question Persuade Refer) for suicide prevention? How is it made available to families?
How are vulnerable populations (youth who are LGBTQ+, AI/AN, Black, without stable housing, etc.) supported?
Contacts
Contacts
Contact NWESD for more information about support available
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