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01-05-2021

Impact of a School-Based, Multi-Tiered Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention on School Safety and Discipline

Authors: Jill H. Bohnenkamp, Cindy M. Schaeffer, Rachel Siegal, Tiffany Beason, Mills Smith-Millman, Sharon Hoover

Published in: Prevention Science | Issue 4/2021

Abstract

Schools across the United States are struggling with how to formulate comprehensive and effective programs to address the mental health needs of students and to promote school safety. This study, funded as part of the National Institute of Justice Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, employed a randomized controlled study design to evaluate the impact of a multi-component package of crisis prevention and response interventions on school safety and discipline outcomes, including suspensions, office discipline referrals, bullying reports, juvenile justice referrals, threat assessments, and follow-up procedures. Forty schools participated, all in a culturally diverse Mid-Atlantic, US school system spanning urban, suburban, and rural areas. The Emotional and Behavioral Health–Crisis Response and Prevention (EBH-CRP) intervention is a comprehensive training, organizational, and support protocol for school and community stakeholders aimed at increasing competence in preventing and responding to student EBH crises using multiple evidence-informed strategies that address emotional and behavioral health concerns across the continuum of supports. Results indicate that the EBH-CRP intervention had a significant positive effect on suspensions, office discipline referrals, and juvenile justice referrals for secondary schools. In addition, the intervention had positive effects on the number of bullying reports overall, with a particularly strong impact on primary schools. The intervention also had positive effects in maintaining more use of threat assessment and follow-up procedures. Although the intervention had a significant positive effect on secondary school–level suspensions, there was no impact on racial/ethnic disproportionality rates for this outcome. Implications for school safety prevention are discussed.

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Title: Impact of a School-Based, Multi-Tiered Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention on School Safety and Discipline
Authors: Jill H. Bohnenkamp
Cindy M. Schaeffer
Rachel Siegal
Tiffany Beason
Mills Smith-Millman
Sharon Hoover
Publication date: 01-05-2021
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Prevention Science / Issue 4/2021
Print ISSN: 1389-4986
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6695
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01195-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Impact of a School-Based, Multi-Tiered Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention on School Safety and Discipline

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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