New Resource!
Voices of Leadership Experience Learning Captures
NTTAC School-Based Services Policy Learning Forum
Creating sustainable school mental health systems is a cornerstone of school mental health initiatives. Movements led by local and state leaders across the country ensure coordinated and comprehensive school-based services thrive and meet the needs of school communities. This requires learning how to translate the creative, innovative, and solution-focused work of school-based services for mental health initiatives (e.g., Project AWARE, Safe and Supportive Schools) from the local to the state level. One way to do that? Policy. 

Synthesizing themes and wisdom shared from school-based policy peers across the country, this learning capture provides local and state school professionals an introduction to leadership approaches that are essential to school-based mental health policy, with excerpts from voices of experience nationwide.

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What are these learning captures?

In April 2021, NTTAC hosted state and local school systems leaders from across the country. These leaders shared their experiences about what issues are most urgent when it comes to school mental health; what policies have been the most helpful for leaders and those they serve; and what youth need most right now (see the archived materials here). 

Collaboration, mutuality, and peer support are cornerstone principles of trauma-informed approaches to systems change and successful systems of care. We gathered school leaders from across the country in a two-part discussion and dialogue (August 2021), captured in two learning captures to accompany the recorded discussions.  

The four conversations (two panels each) have each been condensed into two learning captures (see below), now downloadable for your learning!

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The What & Why: Foundations of School-Based Policy

This learning capture is composed of excerpts from the two panels’ discussions that took place on August 24, 2021

In Part 1 (the What & the Why: Foundations), we explored three areas of school-based policy leadership:
  1. Define: We highlight the rich experiences of local education agencies and district, county, and state leadership to define the needs that policies are intended to address. 
  2. Design: Provide a space for leaders to share the celebrations and challenges of designing policies with students, families, and educators. 
  3. Dismantle: Explore a key and often under-discussed element of school-based policy leadership by examining policies that may be out of date, harmful, or not aligned with the school community’s values. 

Recording Links for Both Sessions on August 24, 2021 

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The Who & How: Implementation

This learning capture is composed of excerpts from the two panels’ discussions that took place on August 26, 2021: 

In Part 2 (the Who & The How: Implementing School Based Mental Health Policy), we explored three areas of school-based policy leadership:
  1. Policy to Practice:  Local and state leaders shared the challenges and celebrations in translating a mandate, piece of legislation, resolution or written policy into impactful practice. 
  2. Partnerships and Parity: Leaders shared their relational organizing strategies and approaches to ensuring equal implementation of policies. 
  3. Progress and Possibilities: Leaders shared where and how school-based policy could and should go beyond equal implementation to achieve equitable impact.

Recording Links for Both Sessions on August 26 2021 

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As you explore the Voices of Leadership Experience Learning Captures, please note: 

  • To view the full recording and transcript, please navigate to the event page.
  • These conversation captures were edited for clarity.
  • All of the ideas, beliefs, and opinions expressed by panelists and moderators are theirs alone and do not represent official policy or policy positions of NTTAC or any state, local, or federal entity.

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A huge thank you to all the panelists and peer teachers who shared their voices of experience for our collective school-based leadership and learning:

Panelists for the Part I- What and the Why: Foundations
Amber Reid, MSW Education Program Professional for Climate, Data, & Equity Nevada Department of Education, Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment

Greg Peters, EdD 
Executive Director, San Francisco Coalition of Essential Schools (SF-CESS)

Kendall Fujioka, MSW Legal intern, U.S. DOE; former Program Director for School Climate Transformation Grant (SCTG) and Project Cal-Well, ABC Unified (California AWARE)

Kim Guinn, RN, MS
AWARE Director, former Anderson County Schools, current Cocke County Schools (Tennessee AWARE)

Laura R. Ficarra, MS Special Education, PhD       
Project AWARE Co-Coordinator, New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), Division of Integrated Community Services for Children & Families (New York AWARE)

Maribeth Barney, MEd , CAS
NYSED Supervisor of Education Programs,Student Support Services, NYS Education Department (New York AWARE)

Monica Nepomuceno, MSW Education Programs Consultant at California Department of Education, facilitator of the California Student Mental Health Policy Workgroup

Pamala Trivedi, PhD, NCSP 
NTTAC Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Lead, Georgetown University, Mental Health Consultant for DC Charter Schools, MedStar Georgetown Center for Wellbeing in School Environments (WISE)

Rachele Espiritu, PhD Former school board member, Denver Public Schools (Colorado); Former Project AWARE Cultural Competence Coach for the Now is the Time TA Center

Tamika Gregory
Project AWARE Director/School Counselor at Conecuh County School District (Alabama AWARE)

Yesmina Luchsinger, MS
NTTAC School Based Services Lead at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS), former Director of School Safety & Social Wellness at the Arizona Department of Education (Arizona AWARE)

Moderator: Leora Wolf-Prusan, NTTAC

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Panelists for Part 2- The Who and the How: Implementation

Angela Castellanos, LCSW, PPSC, ASC NTTAC School Based Services training specialist, former school district mental Health consultant and administrator 
 
Carla Quintero, PPSC, LMFT Regional Mental Health Coordinator Orange County Department of Education

Casey Yates, MA Director of Intervention, Warren County Public Schools, Bowling Green KY (Kentucky AWARE)

Claudia Rojas, MA Newcomer Coach for Los Angeles Unified High School, former Restorative Justice Coordinator and Principal

Donna Kitrick, LMSW Waterloo AWARE Program Manager (Iowa AWARE)

Jen Baker, LMFT Project Coordinator, MTSS, Project Cal-Well AWARE Grant (California AWARE)
 
Kendall Fujioka, MSW Legal intern, U.S. DOE; former Program Director for School Climate Transformation Grant (SCTG) and Project Cal-Well (Now Is The Time/Project AWARE for ABC Unified (California AWARE)

Laura Muse, LCMHC Director, Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) at NC Department of Health and Human Services (North Carolina AWARE)

Lisa Eisenberg, MPP, MSW Policy Director at California School-Based Health Alliance
 
Louis Laffitte, EdD Assistant Superintendent of Behavioral Health and School Safety, Glendale Elementary Unified School District (Arizona AWARE)
 
Terrell Sample, MPA, MSOL State Project Director for Maryland Project AWARE & BJA STOP School Violence Initiative (Maryland AWARE)

Moderator: 
Yesmina Luchsinger, MS* NTTAC School Based Services Lead at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS), former Director of School Safety & Social Wellness at the Arizona Department of Education (Arizona AWARE)
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This announcement is supported by SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award over five years (2020-2025) with 100 percent funded by SAMHSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by SAMHSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.