Project I.C.A. - Integrated Community Approaches to comprehensive mental health and trauma-informed crisis response in schools

Abstract: CESA 6 Allies in Mental Health Education BJA STOP School Violence Project

Competition Number: C-BJA-2022-00098-PROD, Category 2

Allies in Mental Health Education (AMHE), a service offered by Cooperative Education Service Agency (CESA) 6 in east-central Wisconsin, proposes a three-pronged project designed to build capacity in five high-need public school districts to implement the systemic, collaborative changes needed to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence and ensure a positive school climate. Project I.C.A. (Integrated Community Approaches to comprehensive mental health and trauma-informed crisis response in schools) will engage cohorts from 29 schools in five school districts: the School District of DePere, the Bowler School District, the School District of Oakfield, the Fond du Lac School District, and the School District of Waupaca.  Project I.C.A. features the following strands:

(1) Developing a new school safety technology solution in the form of a “TIG (Trauma, Illness, and Grief) Response” application that accurately identifies danger and closes communication gaps commonly experienced by inter-agency teams as they work to respond to traumatic school incidents.

(2) Strengthening multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment and/or intervention teams (TIG Teams) in partnering schools that include law enforcement agencies, community-based behavioral health providers, and school personnel. TIG Teams will participate in an ongoing needs-based training program coordinated by AMHE to build team capacity to appropriately respond to student trauma and develop, expand, and effectively implement their district’s tiered strategies & interventions to improve school climate within a Comprehensive School Mental Health System (CSMHS).

(3) All TIG Teams will complete the TIG training series plus certification in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) to proactively support students’ mental health and respond to crises and threats to school safety in a trauma-informed manner. Partnering districts will also have access to a trilogy of mental health trainings that will be offered to students, staff, and parents/guardians as well as the local community. Each Team will receive ongoing technical assistance, access to a network of other TIG-engaged systems, and support to strengthen cross-system collaboration and alignment between child-serving systems. Establishing a regional TIG Hub at CESA 6 will add capacity to provide trauma-informed crisis response support to many other LEAs in WI and beyond, supporting sustainability.

The anticipated impact on more than 14,000 pK-12 students includes enhanced mental health and decreased violent behaviors. These outcomes will be achieved by strengthening each district’s CSMHS, enhancing cross-system collaboration with child-serving partners and training 29 TIG Teams to implement trauma-informed, evidence-based school crisis planning and response protocols.