Mental Health and PBIS

Learning Activity

The PBIS aims to improve educational outcomes for all children and youth, especially those with or at risk of developing mental health challenges. The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) is one means of addressing this. The ISF blends education and mental health systems and resources toward depth and quality in prevention and intervention within a multi-tiered framework, allowing for greater efficiency and effectiveness (OSEP on PBIS Effective Schoolwide Interventions).

Additionally, whether you're developing a behavior intervention plan or establishing a classroom or school-wide behavior support system, children and youth with disabilities and mental health challenges can be supported by taking into consideration the following general guidelines (Council for Exceptional Children):

1. Invest in empirically supported practices that have the strongest evidence and likelihood of achieving the desired benefits for children or youth.
   
2. Select the smallest number of practices that are likely to have the biggest and most durable effects in the shortest amount of time.
   
3. Consider the culture or learning history of the intervention implementers and the children and youth who will experience the intervention.
   
4. Set high, realistic, and clear expectations for implementers of a practice and child and youth success.
   
5. Continuously use the information to judge the accuracy of implementation and child and youth progress and benefit. 
   
6. Consider the success and support of the individual youth within the context of the success and support all children and youth.
   
7. For the addition or adoption of each new intervention or practice, strive to eliminate or combine two or more ineffective or inefficient ones.
   

Resources

Mark Weist - Advancing Mental Health & Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

ISF for School Mental Health and PBIS