Third Generation
School-Linked Services
for
At Risk Children
Richard Volpe
Professor and Director
Angela Batra
Research Associate
Simona Bomio
Research Associate
Dana Costin
Research Associate
Dr. R. G. N. Laidlaw Research Centre
Institute of Child Study
Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology
OISE /University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| INTRODUCTION |
1 |
| CASE STUDIES: INSTITUTION BASED MODELS |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
31 |
|
|
41 |
| CASE STUDIES: COMMUNITY BASED MODELS |
|
|
Los Angeles, California |
47 |
|
Youth And Family Centers, Dallas, Texas |
59 |
|
San Antonio, Texas |
69 |
|
|
79 |
| FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION |
87 |
| REFERENCE LIST AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY |
95 |
| PARTICIPANTS, KEY INFORMANTS AND RESOURCE LIST |
107 |
INTRODUCTION
In reviewing the literature on school-linked services since
the 1970s, it is clear that in spite of good intentions, attempts
to link schools to other human service agencies have revealed
the difficulty of implementing systemic educational change. Franklin
and Streeter (1995) have outlined five emerging alternative models
for linking schools and services: informal, coordinated, partnerships,
collaborations, and full integrations. However, Knapp (1995) concludes
that it has proven very difficult to institutionalize any of these
linking initiatives. Despite strong advocacy and clear recognition
of need, schools remain narrowly focused and protective of their
turf (Adelman and Taylor, 1997). Despite years of evaluation,
service integration has not led to demonstrable cost savings,
better use of facilities, or reduced bureaucracy at a level or
on a scale that would count as a fulfillment of what has been
promised by advocates (Crowson and Boyd, 1993; Chibulka and Kritek,
1996). Fears over loss of autonomy and power remain seemingly
intractable barriers to social and educational change (Fullan,
1993).
The promise of a package of coordinated services that would provide
more, while using the same (or fewer) resources, however, continues
to have obvious appeal. As part of his argument for the "school
of the twenty first century" to act as the hub of services,
Ziegler (in Kagan and Weissbourd, 1994) noted that we have both
knowledge and resources enough to do what is needed to help children
and their families. The issue is not one of lack of resources
but of fragmented and uncoordinated services. Children have complex
problems and multiple needs that are not well served by specialized
and categorical services (Richardson, Casanova, Placier, and Guilfoyle,
1989; Donmoyer and Kos, 1993; Dryfoos, 1994; APA, 1996; Burt,
Resnick, and Novick, 1998). Hence, service integration is the
sensible and appealing symbol for ways of increasing efficiency
and availability. Efficiency involves matching needs with resources.
Availability refers to coordination and accessibility of services.
These extended supports are an important aspect of the ability
of teachers to address the full range of students needs.
This report addresses the following research questions delineated in Section: 7.0 (Special Needs/At Risk) of the Ministry of Education and Training's research priorities for 1998/1999.
Background
Linking school services to other service agencies and community
stake-holders is part of a strategy to deal with changes in society.
Transformations in the family, social isolation, and loss of community
have revealed the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of fragmented
responses from educators and other human service providers (Schorr,
1997; Sefa Dei, Massuca, and McIsaac, & Zine, 1997; Volpe,
Clancy, Buteau, and Tilleczek, 1998). School-linked services are
part of a larger movement for the reform and integration of education,
health, recreational and social services. Uncoordinated services
have clearly shown themselves to be deficient in their ability
to produce desired outcomes (Evans, Hurrell, Lewis, and Volpe,
1998).
Diversity and fragmentation have challenged our ability to deliver
educational, health, and recreational services. Linking school
services to other services is part of an effort to re-knit communities
(Volpe, 1995). As a consequence, the terms partnership and collaboration
in human service delivery are used throughout government. These
terms cover a host of system reform perspectives that include
school-linked services, co-location of services, school-based
clinics, one stop shopping, wraparound services, seamless services,
and comprehensive school health (Swan and Morgan, 1993). Although
the term school-linked services will sometimes be used
in this report, service integration is the most inclusive and
widely used term. In many discussions of service coordination
it subsumes the creation of more effective connections between
parents and teachers, increased parental involvement, the development
of communities of learners, closer community governance of schools,
vigorous outreach initiatives, and a variety of work-study combinations.
Kahn and Kamerman (1992) define service integration as "a
systemic effort to solve problems of service fragmentation and
of the lack of an exact match between the individual or family
with problems and needs and an intervention program or professional
specialty, with the goal of creating a coherent and responsive
human service system."
Although service integration has been attempted since the turn
of the century (Sutherland, 1976), most contemporary formally
evaluated second generation projects began in the 1970s and 80s.
Many of these early efforts at system reform have given way to
a "third generation" of service integration efforts.
The first generation of school-linked children's service integration
occurred in such efforts as the Progressive Education, Public
Health, Mental Hygiene and Child Study movements in the 1920s
and 30s. Educators, nurses, social workers, pediatricians, and
psychologists established school-based clinics and implemented
preventive interventions (Volpe, 1990). The second "post
World War II" use of integration as an organizing principle
is about 25 years old. This form of integration was more top down
than bottom up with governments awarding demonstration grants
sought to link two or more service providers to allow for more
effective individual or family treatment.
Current service integration efforts combine top down and bottom
up initiatives that reflect reforms that are being sought across
the whole spectrum of human services. What characterizes the real
difference in these efforts is the extent to which they are more
targeted and community focused (Volpe, 1998). These changes, called
"new wave" (Crowson and Boyd, 1993; Waldfogel, 1997),
reflect lessons learned during the earlier pilot and demonstration
phase. Shorr (1997) notes that most of the programs initiated
during this phase have disappeared along with a naive optimism
in regard to total system.
Design
The case studies presented here extend our knowledge base about
school-linked services to include the as yet unreviewed third
generation integration efforts. The policy and practice significance
of this undertaking should be derived from having available descriptions
and analyses of models of mature third generation effective service
integration.
Service integration involves a complex range of activities and
practices, and therefore, reform to service delivery models must
be understood and described in terms of that range, including
type, level and locus. Type refers to policy, governance, management
(administrative) and front line reform. Level examines the layer
of government (local, provincial, state, or federal)at which change
is undertaken. Locus looks at whether reforms are intra or inter
professional, agency, or school (Kagan and Neville, 1993). The
creation of context sensitive case studies of models of effective
school-linked services that will have applicability to Ontario's
needs required a data gathering design that depicted explicit
and implicit models by describing both the structures and processes
(power dynamics) associated with linking schools and social services.
This project is a study of integrated services using existing
information obtained through a collaborative identification of
local and national programs and policies obtained by contacting
key informants (government and foundation officials, project directors
and program officers). Document examination and key informant
interviews were used to gather the latest information on third
generation children's service integration initiatives. The key
informant technique traditionally refers to the intense interviewing
of knowledgeable community members to obtain various forms of
information (Tremblay, 1982). In this survey, the interviews were
largely semi-structured telephone interviews designed to elicit
program nominations, descriptions, and consent to supply policy,
program, and evaluation reports. After interviewing key informants,
exemplary practice nominations were selected. Selection criteria
included the following: credibility of source; reputation; frequency
of referral; region; and clarity of policy articulation. Once
selected, informants were asked to provide policy, implementation
and evaluation documentation, and where available, project descriptions,
year-end reports, and video coverage. Case study reports on sites,
projects, and programs were created on the basis of interviews
and careful examinations of submitted documents.
The following are examples of entry questions for key informants acting as referral agents:
· To what extent do your various departments or ministries (health, social service, and education) working on behalf of children and families collaborate? To what extent can they be said to be integrated?
· What are some of your best examples of practices that illustrate your work in these areas?
The most consistently nominated and highly recommended programs were defined as effective and subsequently selected for telephone interviews of stake-holders. Information in four principal areas of implementation was sought:
· at the mandating level, information was collected on legal frameworks and policies (local and national);· at the strategic level, data was gathered from senior managers and coordinators on the functioning of identified services;
· at the operational level, information was sought on issues such as budget and personnel allocation, and their relationship to problem identification and prioritization; and
· at the field level, data was gathered on the way in which services work in practice, including the service delivery process and outcomes for professionals and clients.
The rationale for this approach was twofold. First, it provided
the description of select nominated programs. Second, it provided
a comprehensive referral resource list of nominated programs,
their addresses and primary contact persons.
The resulting case studies reflect program materials, evaluation
reports, and interviews with policy makers, program managers,
staff, and clients. The overall report and each case study are
organized in terms of the Case Study Evaluation Model (Volpe,
1996).
Case Study Evaluation Model
Service integration can be implemented on three levels. The first
level consists of multi-disciplinary cooperation and decision-making
to serve individual children and their families. The second extends
interagency coordination through formalized relations that concern
decisions affecting entire programs. The third is the most joined
level of service provision that involves all parties sharing both
means and ends. All levels of integration require considerable
cooperation and communication. Since integration is a multidimensional
process which can take different forms, it requires an evaluation
model that incorporates the following dimensions:
· Organizational Climate: The atmosphere that surrounds the administration and provision of services reflects the priority given to cooperative and collaborative undertaking between agencies.
· Allocation of Resources: The distribution of suitable resources to interagency work seen in the way money, personnel, and space are allocated.
· Principles of Practice: The rules and policies governing practice including the existence and generation of protocols, regulations, guidelines, and agreements will reflect the priority given to service integration.
· Personnel: The success or failure of coordinated efforts is to a large extent determined by the people involved. The levels, qualifications, and commitment of all involved personnel are helpful indicators.
· Program Implementation and Operation: The extent to which service providers are able to communicate, meet together and share decision-making can be determined to be either supportive or undermining of collaborative efforts.
· Organizational Structure: The way decision-making and resource allocation functions are structured will determine the extent to which agencies are able to maintain the flexibility and adaptability to work together and be responsive to the real needs of all community participants.
Evaluation Issues
The integration of services involves a number of challenging
policy concerns such as the nature of access, local planning,
priority setting, funding and accountability. Thus, the evaluation
of integrated services requires a complex evaluation framework.
The Case Study Evaluation Framework is such an approach. It provides
a means of organizing complex information collected via a number
of methods. This Framework can form the case record on which multilevel
case studies depicting models of school-linked services can be
derived.
The Case Study Evaluation Framework is based on an approach originally
conceived by Stufflebeam (1983) as a way of moving evaluation
research away from a narrow focus on whether programs achieved
their stated objectives to a more constructive emphasis on the
general information needed for decision-making.
Unlike Stufflebeam's examination of context, input, process and
product (CIPP) as discrete evaluation areas, the Case Study Evaluation
Framework treats them as a dynamic system. The emphasis of this
approach to evaluation is on describing means/ends and intended/actual
dimensions of service delivery. Each of the CIPP areas are presented
along with illustrative questions that are put to existing data
sources and confirmed with key informants.
CONTEXT
The first major heading, Context, looks at that which is
of relevance surrounding a program, and includes the background
of program objectives, the environment and events surrounding
the development and implementation of a program or service system.
Included under this heading are previous research and evaluation
studies, socio-political occurrences, and community reactions.
More specifically, Context includes the apparent need for
service, the legal mandates that exist in a given community, the
preparation and practice traditions of associated professionals,
and the existence of special funding opportunities. The primary
orientation here is to describe the history and background of
a service program. For the case study it is important to note
how the program has been, and is currently, perceived by clients,
associated professionals, and sponsors. The intended ends of the
program are determined in association with the needs, issues,
and opportunities available to the program designers. These decisions
are usually articulated as goals and objectives.
· When was the program devised? (History and background of program)
· Who initiated the program staff, board, community school partners?
· What were the original goals and objectives?
· Can you describe the academic environment or events that surrounded the development of this program?
· What were the community reactions at the time?
· What were the reactions of the school personnel?
· What were the problems at the school prior to the program implementation?
· How is the program perceived presently by clients, associated professionals, and sponsors?
· Can you describe the community surrounding the school?
· Who are the chosen community partners?
INPUT
Input deals with the nature and kind of resources developed for,
and allocated to the sites. Inputs to the program involve the
commitment of financial resources and the choice of the strategies
employed in the delivery of services. In this dimension it is
useful to note what alternative implementation and service delivery
strategies are actually available. Important here is making clear
the procedural design of service delivery activities and special
protocols for interagency collaboration. The intended means by
which articulated aims are to be achieved involves outlining procedures
to be followed by providers via a series of structuring decisions.
· What financial resources and strategies are employed in the delivery of services?
· What are the special protocols for interagency collaboration...procedural design?
· Have you outlined procedures to be followed by providers via a series of structuring decisions?
· What were the kinds of resources developed for and allocated to the sites?
PROCESS
Process involves answering the "how it's done" questions
of interpersonal relations and power dynamics with respect to
the governing, administrating, managing, implementing, and practicing.
Process refers to the way implementation is guided on the operational
level and requires a look at what sort of checks on implementation
have been made, and what evidence exists as to the relation between
what was intended in a program design and what actually exists.
The monitoring of programs gives feedback and enables adjustments
between what is intended and what actually happens on the ground.
· How is feedback structured and given to management and front line services, teachers and students?
· What sort of checks on implementation have been made?
· What evidence exists as to the relation between what was intended in the program's design and what exists today?
· How and when are adjustments to the program made?
· Who attends meetings? Frequency of meetings devoted to the program.
PRODUCT
Finally, Product includes the observable impact and outcome effectiveness
of service coordination attempts. Further, analysis of this phase
provides summative interpretation, conclusions, and recommendations
derived from the obtained data. Product examines the actual practices
of both professionals and clients. This component asks how practitioners,
participants, and observers judge the attainments of the program.
Included here are the actual outcomes of service delivery. Both
long and short term outcomes are of interest. Legitimate vantage
points for measurement, interpretation, and judgement can be achieved
by obtaining information from both individuals and aggregates
of stake-holders. Also important is the need to examine the relation
of intended ends and unanticipated positive and negative outcomes.
· How do practitioners, participants and observers judge the attainments of the program?
· What are the short term and long term outcomes of the program?
· What were any unanticipated positive or negative outcomes of the program?
· How do you measure success or effectiveness of the program?
· How did the program provide documentation to the Board or Department of Education?
The collection of information for the case studies has, therefore,
been derived from a variety of resources and employed multiple
methods. The application of this material aims to provide a coherent
depiction of a program or service delivery system models in terms
of the interplay of their aims, structure, process, and product.
The Case Study Evaluation Framework makes service integration
models available for comparison and contrast which, in turn, aids
decision-making (Volpe, 1996).
In addition to using the Context, Input, Process, and Product
designations, the following case studies have been divided as
to their origin in either Institutions (Schools, Boards, or Governments)
or Communities (Foundations, Business/Corporations, or NGOs).
CASE STUDIES:
INSTITUTION BASED MODELS
THE INTEGRATED RESOURCES IN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
(IRIS)
Frankfort, Kentucky
CONTEXT
The School Mental Health Project (SMHP) was created to pursue
theory, research, practice, and training related to meeting the
mental health needs of students through school-based interventions.
In 1995, the Department of Health and Human Services (Public Health
Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau
of Maternal and Child Health, and the Office of Adolescent Health)
implemented a major initiative to foster mental health in schools.
Five statewide, multi-year projects and two national and Technical
Assistance Centers were established. The purpose of these Centers
is to improve how schools address barriers to learning and to
enhance healthy development. The two national health centers are
the Center for School Mental Health Assistance at the University
of Maryland at Baltimore and the Center for Mental Health in Schools
at UCLA.
In October of 1995, Kentucky's Department for Public Health was
awarded a grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human
Services, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. This grant charged
Kentucky along with Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, and South Carolina
to look into their existing infrastructure and examine ways to
do more for the mental health of children. In this report, Kentucky
and Maine's initiatives will be examined. All five states are
involved in the development of model sites that include school-community
collaborations and that aim to enhance the availability and accessibility
of services.
History and Development: The Integrated Resource in Schools
Initiative (IRIS), Kentucky
IRIS, Kentucky's primary prevention initiative, was established
to address the mental health, prevention and early intervention
needs of its children. The project is designed to address a significant
problem in Kentucky's human service systems. The health, education
and mental health systems are structured and funded to carry out
their vital roles with limited integration or collaboration at
the community level. The initiative was designed to build upon
the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA) which encompasses school-based
health and social service reforms. IRIS focuses on creating solutions
through a state and local partnership that address gaps and barriers
to integrated delivery of primary/preventative mental health services
in a school-based or linked atmosphere. The family and the community
are viewed as the engine for system design and delivery. The goals
of this project are to:
· establish and expand the prevention focus of the state level infrastructure, reducing fragmentation and increasing coordination at the local level;
· create an environment for the delivery of primary preventive mental health services that are school-based or school-linked, flexible and centered on the child and family; and
· implement mechanisms to build long-term capacity to support integrated prevention and early intervention efforts among schools, health centers and mental health centers.
These goals are guided by a holistic approach to service delivery
and prevention efforts centered on families and children and to
encompass physical, mental and social health.
In order to be selected as a demonstration site, the communities
submitted proposals exhibiting a desire to work in a collaborative
manner. After a site selection process three pilot communities
were named for the IRIS project:
· Blaine, located in Lawrence County;
· Liberty, located in Casey county; and
· Owensboro, located in Daviess County.
Later, a fourth site, Radcliffe, located in Harden County,
approached IRIS for technical assistance. This site integrated
funding in order to support its own coordinator and was accepted
as an IRIS pilot site. Telephone interviews were conducted with
the Coordinator for the four IRIS sites and with the IRIS Site
Coordinator at Foust Elementary School in Owensboro. Therefore,
examples from this school will be used to illustrate the IRIS
Initiative in Kentucky.
In November 1996, local councils from each of the pilot sites
and the IRIS Advisory Team (representatives from each partner
agency or organization) came for their first IRIS statewide training.
Forming focus groups, they began the process of identifying where
the existing prevention and early intervention system changes
should occur in order to support their communities. In April 1997,
the councils presented to the Advisory Team, outcomes they felt
would help enable them to fulfil the IRIS mission. Suggestions
were later presented to the State Inter-Agency Council (SIAC)
which is made of commissioners who represent various agencies.
The SIAC created a System Change Work Group to flesh out ways
for achieving those outcomes.
The Coordinator of the four pilot sites affirmed that this initiative
is unique because the focus shifted from providing direct services
to strengthening existing services using an interagency approach.
IRIS is interested in examining how to change systems with the
goal of reducing fragmentation. An environmental approach to primary
prevention is emphasized; hence, this initiative is driven by
the needs of the community, families, and peers. The "I Am
Your Child" campaign on early brain development and the Developmental
Assets Model from the Search Institute are two methods used by
this initiative and provide strategies to establish primary prevention
as a way of life. Early Brain Development is exemplified in Casey
and Harden Counties, and the Developmental Assets are promoted
within Owensboro. The aforementioned goals are achieved by educating
and training the community at large to find ways to build upon
their existing "assets" as opposed to concentrating
on the "deficits". Inherent in this approach, is the
view that the family and the community is the engine that drives
the system.
Foust Elementary School
Foust community is home to 6,000 persons. The elementary school's
student population is 39% African-American and 23% Caucasian.
Foust Elementary is a Title One School, meaning that government
dollars are provided for free lunch and breakfast for eligible
students. This community is described as the most ethnically diverse
in Owensboro. The average years of education of its residents
is 10.5 and majority of the families are in the low to middle
income range.
In order to be elected as an IRIS site, the community needed to
evidence efforts of service integration. Within Owensboro, a collaborative
effort was displayed in the development of Family Connections,
a resource center in partnership with schools, founded in August
1997.
Family Connections
Three individuals saw a need for a collaboration of partners (community
leaders). Therefore, the Human Development Council inventoried
existing services and agreed that the community had a myriad of
good services; however, they lacked service coordination and communication.
As a result, the development of neighborhood based service centers
(these centers were to coordinate existing services providing
an integrated system of delivering services) was recommended.
Owensboro County was chosen to house these centers and the service
center opened within Foust Elementary.
A survey of 129 homes was conducted to determine the community's
needs and concerns to be addressed. This survey formed the base
for the majority of the work. The Site Coordinator describes the
school as the "hub of the community, and therefore Family
Connections is the closest thing to a community school".
INPUT
Funds for the IRIS Initiative were granted to the Department for
Public Health, which worked collaboratively with the Department
for Mental Health/Mental Retardation and the Department for Education.
Department for Mental Health houses the initiative's state staff,
and the Department of Public Health provides personnel to direct
the initiative. Eastern Kentucky University administers the funds
and the Department of Education opened its doors to Early Brain
Development and the KISSED training programs. The KISSED program
is focused on training for teachers in the social and emotional
indicators of development.
The Hager Educational Foundation provided the initial grant to
begin Family Connections, and also gave money to support the coordinators'
position and training for three years. The Cabinet for Human Resources
also provided dollars to purchase computers and hire network support
people. For this program, the Owensboro's Board of Education provided
space and up-front administrative work.
PROCESS
IRIS consists of three standing committees and one ad hoc committee:
the Communications Committee, the Evaluation Committee, Technical
Assistance and Training Support, and the Site Selection and Ad
hoc Committee. The Advisory Team is composed of representatives
from various agencies involved in the partnership such as the
Administrative Office of the Courts, Champions for a Drug Free
Kentucky, and the Commission on Human Service Collaborative. The
Advisory Team oversees policy development and provides advice
to the IRIS Project Director, the IRIS staff and the local councils
as requested.
Each of the three communities has a local council made up of a
representative from each of the participating partners. Education,
Health and Mental Health are represented, among other collaborating
partners, depending on the community.
A consensus decision-making process is actively employed. Each
site has local control in decision-making. The Project Coordinator
expresses that consensus can be reached because everybody on the
Team shares the same vision: a focus on outcome (quality mental
health). However, protocol does exist when a decision cannot be
reached.
In Kentucky, collaboration is extremely necessary and is expected.
The existence of a Commission on Human Service Collaborative at
the secretarial level is indicative of how an interagency approach
is part of Kentucky's culture. However, territorial issues arise
when so many different stakeholders are involved, and this can
impede the collaborative process.
Developmental Assets Model adopted by IRIS
The Developmental Assets model (D.A.), developed by the Search
Institute in Minnesota (a research institute of child and family)
informs the strategies used to build long-term capacities to address
the gaps and barriers in the integrated delivery of mental health
services and to promote preventative mental health. In this model,
forty Developmental Assets or building blocks (what child needs
to develop into a healthy and responsible citizen) were identified.
Search conducted a scientific survey entitled Profiles of Student
Life in 1996/97. Surveyed were 100,000 students in grades 6-12
across the United States of America. External D.A (e.g. support,
expectations) and internal D.A. (e.g. commitment to learn, positive
values, social expectations) are identified by this research.
Correlations between the number of assets one exhibits and the
probability of behaviour can be determined through this survey.
Training and educating the community at large and implementing
preventative approaches to mental health are methods used to promote
this model. Underlying this approach is an attempt to shift the
community's perspective towards an assets/strengths versus
a deficit orientation. The purpose of this is to promote
a framework that encourages positive interaction between adults
and youth. This approach makes everyone responsible for raising
children; "it takes a village to raise a child". It
is an empowering, strength-oriented, and supportive framework
to organize any service, program, or organization.
In Owensboro, strategies that have been most effective in enhancing
an interagency approach to preventative mental health in community
schools include:
· a supportive environment: the relationship among partners and the support they exhibit towards each other is the largest contributing factor in the success of a shared vision;
· communication: including feedback from residents and continuous surveying of needs;
· physical structure: located in school, accessible to community;
· community based workers on line with state: casework in state system;
· interagency agreement: sharing information, signed by other agencies, for example, Family Connections has a confidentiality agreement so all partners share information, and students and families have a choice regarding what agencies they will allow information to be disclosed to (such tools help facilitate collaboration);
· a team approach;
· trust; and
· aligning with each other, sharing information and concerns.
Attitudes toward youth were identified as possible barriers in promoting the D.A. and environmental approaches to primary prevention. Other identified obstacles within Owensboro include resistance to mobilizing the community and to administering and completing surveys, as well as resistance to the acceptance of survey results.
PRODUCT
The largest challenge cited is assessment and evaluation of this
initiative. Evaluations need to be structured around program objectives
to show the initiatives' effectiveness. Longitudinal data is needed
to show the impact of primary prevention approaches to mental
health and since the initiative is still new, such data does not
exist.
In Owensboro, evaluation and feedback occur on informal levels.
Measures of effectiveness include speaking to people regarding
whether and how their needs are being met, developing interest
groups (e.g. positive role models-community driven), and recording
hard data on the number of persons served and cases closed. Observable
effects have included empowered residents, increased self-respect,
families motivated to be self-sufficient, the elimination of duplicating
services, and the creation of preventative approaches to mental
health. Problems arise in the administration and in the blending
of interagency rules and regulation. However, measurable indicators
for success are still needed.
An outside evaluator, from REACH of Louisville, has conducted
a baseline evaluation about what is going on in the community
and what the needs are. Follow-up evaluations are conducted and
compared to this baseline report to provide feedback about the
impact of IRIS in Owensboro.
This project has implications for future school-community collaboratives.
It is IRIS's vision that primary prevention efforts will be integrated
into all systems and more respect and understanding for community
needs will be accomplished by an approach to mental health that
is integrative and preventive.
SCHOOL-LINKED SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
PROJECT
Maine
CONTEXT
Maine is one of five states to receive a multi-year State-Level
Partnership Grant Award from the Federal Department of Health
and Human Services, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The purpose
of this grant is to help Maine develop an infrastructure at the
state level which will enable schools to increase mental health
and substance abuse services including prevention, identification,
early intervention, and treatment and referral services for students
through school-based health centers or school-linked health centers.
Infrastructures are the basic facilities, equipment, and installations
needed for the functioning of a system. Primary state level infrastructure
components targeted by this project are financing, training/education,
program development, data and evaluation, and local level implementation.
The fragmented nature of service delivery was well recognized
in Maine, and, locally, a need for support services in the Health
Centers was identified. Conversations regarding the need for an
integrative and collaborative approach to service delivery began
among the Department of Human Services, the Department of Education,
and the Department of Mental Health and Retardation. As a result,
the Department of Human Services, Division of Maternal and Child
Health applied for federal funding. After the grant was received
this Project was named the School-Based School-Linked Mental Health
Project.
Demonstration Sites
Each site has a unique set of programs, a distinct service delivery
system and is focused on developing processes for outcome-based
evaluations. The results from these evaluations can be used at
the state policy level to improve state level infrastructure in
support of school-based and -linked programming. The goals of
Maine's initiative are to identify and disseminate information
about exemplary practices and programs from the demonstration
sites in order to promote a variety of approaches that are effective
or that have promise. Hence, six different demonstration sites
across the state are supported through this initiative.
As a result of their innovative approaches to service integration
and delivery, two sites were nominated for the purpose of this
research: Maranacook Community School in Readfield and Penobscot
Nation Health Department, Indian Island. The Coordinator from
each site was interviewed, and therefore, this case study is a
synthesis of the written documents received and of the information
gathered through the interviews.
Maranacook Community School
Maranacook Student Health Center
The coordinator of the Maranacook Student Health Center describes
Readfield as a rural area, in which Maranacook Community School
serves four towns. The State Capital, employer of many of Readfield's
residents, is located 10 miles from Maranacook Community School.
The family income and socio-economic status in this area range
from working-class poor to affluent. The school is predominately
white and houses students from grades 7-12. Two percent of the
school population is non-white (i.e. Asian/African-American).
In Maine, School-Based Health Centers have been in operation for
twelve years and Maranacook Community School, in its sixth year,
is one site that houses this project. This is the second year
for Maranacook as a demonstration site for the School Mental Health
Project (SMHP), 1997-98 and 1998-99. With funding from this Project,
services of the Health Center have been expanded to increase mental
health, counselling, early intervention, and preventative services.
The Maranacook Student Health Center (MSHC) provides medical services
including diagnosis and treatment for acute care as well as management
of chronic illness to all students. Medical staff provide prescriptions
or medication on-site. Health education and preventative health
care such as sports physicals are also available. The MSHC provides
increased access to primary care and behavioural health services
for adolescents and is located at the school. MSHC services are
available for all students and are provided by the school nurse.
Expanded services are available for students if their parents
choose this option. A physician assistant or a licensed counselor
provides these services. Various payment options are available
for the expanded services. These options are:
· there is no fee if the student is enrolled in a managed care (IIMO) Health Insurance plan, or in Medicaid, or is eligible for free or reduced cost lunch;
· the students' family can choose to have the Health Center bill their private health insurance;
· if the family does not have insurance, the Health Center can bill the family directly; or
· the family may choose a one time $60.00 annual fee for the entire school year.
The School-based Mental Health Project
At the local level, health center staff, guidance staff, school
administrators, and three public mental health agencies in the
community had already formed collaborative working relations with
each other and joined Maranacook Community School as a partner
in the school's initiative to increase services in the student
health center. The three agencies formed the School-Based Behavioral
Health Collaborative (SBBHC).
As a result, in the first year of the SMHP, individual and family
counselling was implemented. This was followed by crisis intervention,
drop-in services, and educational seminars in the second year.
The collaborative organizations bill for their services through
their home offices. The availability of flexible funding has enhanced
the model which in year one was treatment focused to allow for
more primary prevention (e.g. educational seminars for staff,
parents, and students) and early intervention strategies (more
educational support groups and drop-in hours).
The Collaborative offers on-site mental health services. These
services are available three days a week and include individual,
family, and group counselling; substance abuse assessment and
treatment; consultations to staff; referrals for off-site treatment;
educational seminars for students, staff, and families. The SBBHC
works with school staff, family, and community providers to refer
students and their families to community services as needed. A
holistic approach to a collaborative and integrative service delivery
system is evidenced at the SBBHC through the established services
and programs designed and delivered within the context of the
community, family, and individual. Maranacook's initiatives in
school-based health care reduce barriers to learning by providing
and coordinating services that address all the health needs to
enhance students' ability to learn.
Penobscot Nation Health Department, Indian Island
At this demonstration site, a school-linked model of service
delivery is employed. The social services agencies involved work
together to incorporate culturally sensitive and relevant services
as best practice strategies in their daily work. According to
the Clinical Supervisor and Program Director of Counseling Services,
Penobscot Nation Health Department was chosen as a demonstration
site for the School Mental Health Project because of its application
of a school-linked model for a Native American population.
Indian Island is a Native American Reservation. The Island's population
is Native American who qualify for direct services if they belong
to any federally recognized Tribe in the United States. An elementary
school is located on the Indian Island; however, the children
must leave the Island to attend the public high school. The community
is largely working class and the main source of economic stability
is the paper mill.
With the help of the School Mental Health Project, an existing
primary prevention program at Penobscot Nation Health focused
on the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, is being expanded.
The Health Department is also looking at ways to address the transition
that the children make from the school system, on the Indian Island,
to the larger public school system. A bridge that connects the
Island to the town is seen as a metaphor that describes this transition.
As explained in the interview, when the children leave the Island
to attend high school they tend to face academic or social difficulties
as a result. The goal is to understand the impact of this transition
and to determine how the Health Department can intervene to reduce
any barriers to social and academic development.
INPUT
Maranacook Community School
The Student Health Center
Originally, the MSHC was funded through the Department of Human
Services, Division of Community and Family Health. Currently,
the Center is supported with additional funding from the Kennebac
Valley Medical center, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Health Source,
Medicaid and other 3rd party reimbursement, and annual fees. Other
funding sources for the Health Center include in-kind contributions
from the school system valued approximately at $50,000. A full-time
nurse, health center space, and maintenance are examples of what
these dollars have funded. Various grants and billing options
provide support for the medical director, physician assistants,
health center coordinator, health center supplies/expenses, and
professional development.
The School Mental Health Project
A flexible service model for billing and funding is used. The
on-site collaborative counselling staff bill their respective
agencies directly. The schools can also buy services. For instance,
they can purchase trained staff time to conduct educational groups
on substance use or eating disorders. The grant for $15,000 received
from the School Mental Health Project is used to support drop-in
time and crisis intervention; enhance primary prevention education
and early intervention efforts in mental health and substance
abuse; and to support a portion of the Health Center Coordinator's
time.
The agencies providing services as part of the School-Based Behavioural
Health Collaborative include the Kennebec Valley Mental Health
Center, Crisis and Counseling Center, and HealthReach. These three
agencies responded to Maranacook Community School as a group and
are partners in school-based health care.
In most school-based health care settings, a community medical
provider from a rural health center or hospital, operates the
Health Center. The medical provider is responsible for providing
the health care staff to the school, assuring quality of service,
and providing medical supervision to the staff. Centers are staffed
by nurse practitioners and by physician assistants. Medical providers
work within the school setting to increase student access to prevention
and early intervention services. Staff are recruited based on
their experience working within a school system and with adolescents,
and receive an orientation to the school, to the Guidance Department,
and to the Health Center.
Penobscot Nation Health Department
The Tribal Agencies, tribal members from the community, are
the most cohesive and coherent partner in the collaborative effort
at Penobscot Nation Health Department. They form the "concentric
circle" or inner circle, and surrounding them is the larger
circle. This outer circle is comprised of community members from
other agencies such as the Psychiatric Hospital and the Detox
center. Political support for an integrated approach comes from
both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and from an Indian Health Research
oriented branch out of the University of Southern Maine, which
focuses on innovative public policy. The University of Maryland
and the University of California offer technical assistance, professional
development and training in areas such as data collection methods
and grant writing.
Geared towards providing services for families and children are
educators, human service providers, and clinicians. Multidisciplinary
Team meetings are held for half a day every week. Part of the
function of the Team is to exchange referrals, conduct multidisciplinary
assessments, plan programs and treatment. Present at these meetings
are the Health Center staff, the counselling staff, the physician,
the medical staff, the Tribal Department of Human Services, Child
Protective Services, the school counselor, and other people as
needed. In the past these meetings were more inclusive. For instance,
the Tribal Core, the nutritionist, and the pharmacist also attended.
However, confidentiality problems surfaced and this strategy was
abandoned.
In a 30-hour week, the Health Centre director functions as a clinical
supervisor, program manager, prevention specialist, and a direct
service provider. Also employed are a consulting psychologist,
two full-time native counsellors (a male substance abuse counsellor,
and a female mental health and substance abuse counsellor). A
part time non-Indian female counsellor for substance abuse and
mental health, and a part-time tobacco educator/prevention specialist,
also staff the Health Center. The Health Center staff provide
clinical services for the Native children at the local high school
because that is where the students and the services are most easily
accessed. When asked if resources were lacking, the Health Center
Director expressed that an ideal would be to have more staff,
such as social workers, but otherwise, that the Health Department
functions well with the resources they currently have.
PROCESS
Maranacook Community School
The School-Based Health Centers operate under the guidance of
a locally controlled Advisory Board. The Board broadly represents
the community, including parents and students, and is directed
by the local medical director. Parent and student advisory committees
identify needs and offer guidance to the Board before decisions
are reached. Collaborative staff, administrators, and the Health
Center Coordinator also meet monthly to discuss systemic and programmatic
issues of the SBBHC.
As described in the interview, this SBBHC collaboration effort
initially went through a "honeymoon" period; however,
certain growing pains were experienced this year. For instance,
partnering agencies stipulate that clinicians have billable clients
every hour, although, in a school system, counselors do not always
have a full caseload. The Coordinator is responsible for pulling
together and facilitating meetings to hammer out such issues.
A consensus decision-making process is employed. Open communication,
regular feedback (satisfactory surveys from students, staff, and
parents) and active listening are all strategies that enable consensus
to be reached. The importance of identifying and involving key
people in the collaborative process from the onset is recognized
and strongly adhered to as a lesson learned. At Maranacook, Community
School meetings are held with every grade level staff, guidance
staff, special education staff and administrators on a regular
basis to get a sense of concerns. These tactics lay the necessary
groundwork for a smoother transition to working collaboratively
and for minimizing conflicts related to process.
Penobscot Nation Health Department
In the past, the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, a separate
governmental jurisdiction, and the Indian Health Service signed
a joint memorandum stating that the Tribes have the authority
to do what's necessary to help the students and their families.
This memorandum served as an impetus for the Tribes to set up
multidisciplinary treatment teams. Today, the Multidisciplinary
Team meetings at Penobscot Nation Health Department are held on
a regular basis. Cooperative agreements signed by the different
programs and agencies involved, help facilitate the sharing of
information.
Positive relations, developed with the Dean of Students at the
public high school, have helped the Health Department with accessibility
to the adolescents there. For example, formal drop-in time for
counselors to meet with the students individually and in-groups
has been established. This has further fostered a strong collaborative
working relationship with the school.
Due to the small size of the Island population, client confidentiality
does become an issue. At times, during team meetings, clients'
names are not disclosed at their request because the clients know
the team members. To deal with such issues, clear boundaries and
signed consent forms are required. Formal processes, however,
do not exist at present within the collaborative team for conflict
management.
Those involved in the collaborative have worked together for many
years, so when conflict does arise, non-written systems for working
through the disagreements are in place. Minor conflicts are worked
out informally and through personal conversations. The culture
of the people on the Island is mirrored in the working relationships
of the staff at Penobscot Nation Health Department by the use
of open, direct, and personalized communication. When advertising
or promoting a program, for example, "flyers can be sent,
bill boards can be posted or the Good Year Blimp can be flown
. . ." However, no one will attend unless personal invitations
are extended. Hence, decision-making and conflict resolution/management
strategies at the Penobscot Nation Health Department involve speaking
and listening to each other in an informal and respectful manner.
Structurally, there has been little reorganization; however, reorganization
in relationships has occurred over the years. Changes in relationships
are mainly reflected among service providers. For example, past
efforts to establish a prevention coalition have failed; however,
now with changes in personnel and the grant from the SMHP, a positive
reconstruction in relations and attitudes has occurred to allow
this coalition to proceed with development.
The systemic problem in education is selling the concept to teachers
who already have a lot to do, ". . . everything from teaching
arithmetic to brushing teeth . . . and dealing with mental health
problems . . . it's just one more thing" added to their plate.
Most significantly, with the onset of the SMHP initiative, a mutual
language that can be shared among service providers, educators,
and other professionals has developed. "Rather than speaking
about mental illnesses, problems and deficiencies . . . the term
'barriers to learning' is used". This language sensitizes
teachers to the issues of schooling contextualized in social,
community, and family development. Teachers are interested in
'learning', not 'paranoid schizophrenia'; hence, this new language
is a major contributor to integrating and mediating the different
systems involved in this project, namely mental health and education.
PRODUCT
Maranacook Community School
Evaluation data is vital in order to document impact and to provide
feedback for program improvement. Evaluation at Maranacook Community
School is ongoing. In the second year of the project, it is evident
through verbal feedback that parents are not feeling as involved.
Hard data are compiled on a regular basis. For instance, statistics
on the frequency of use of services, and the percent usage of
services by grade level and gender are recorded.
Penobscot Nation Health Department
The Native American population on the Island experiences surveys
and questions as intrusive. "The normal quantitative types
of data collection does not work well in this environment, because
story-telling is more culturally relevant". Therefore, in
order to determine the impact of transition from the Indian Island
school to the high school, data that is in the form of stories
will be collected. A predicted barrier to research is developing
outcome-based reporting required by the State and grantors.
The School Mental Health Project enables the Penobscot Nation
Health Department to feel part of a larger systemic reform effort.
The state level Advisory Board meetings provide an opportunity
to network and meet people from the Department of Education, the
Department of Mental Health, and stakeholders from other schools
throughout the state. These meetings help conciliate the mission
that is shared among all those in attendance. The opportunity
to network in an environment that is conducive to learning and
to brainstorming creative and effective ways to better meet the
mental health needs of children and families in the context of
education is imperative to the successful development and to the
growth of an interagency approach.
THE CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
Washington Heights Community School, New York, New York
CONTEXT
The New York Board of Education, the local school district, Community
School District 6, and The Children's Aid Society have opened
four Community Schools in Manhattan's Washington Heights community.
The four schools, elementary schools PS 5 and PS 8, and middle
schools IS 218 and IS 90, provide coordinated services for 7,000
children and their families in the Washington Heights-Inward area
of New York City. The philosophy underpinning the Community Schools'
approach is that emotional, social, and health needs all impact
on children's ability to learn. The involvement, participation,
and sanction of parents are cited as the keys to this process.
Community Schools engage families as early as possible with programs
for infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers, working to both enhance
children's learning and their home environments. These goals are
also facilitated by providing on-site health care, mental health
counselling, advocacy for public benefits, adult education, job
training, parenting programs, and after school activities. Community
Schools remain open six days a week, 15 hours a day, all year.
They serve as a focal point in the community for education, as
well as other supportive services, to which children and their
parents can turn. They are also known as "full-service"
schools or "extended service schools". The goal is to
transform schools into new institutions that are primarily focused
on educating children, but can also help strengthen the entire
community.
In 1987, CAS conducted an assessment of community-based social
services for children and families in the Washington Heights-Inward
area. The school system in this district ranked low in reading
scores and high in truancy, drug abuse, and child abuse reports.
Following this, conversations among the Central Board, the Chancellor,
and the Community School District ensued. These members were all
very receptive to a new approach to schooling based on a premise
that academic achievement has a social context. The city was determined
to invest 4.3 billion in new school buildings. CAS proposed that
if the Board of Education made a new school available, CAS would
bring its entire repertoire of services to the school and would
help to sustain these services by raising substantial funds to
assist defraying their costs.
In 1994, CAS opened a Technical Assistance Center to help others
adapt the model. Since 1996, the Center has been providing intensive
technical assistance to seven Community School projects. Originally,
CAS supported community centers in affluent areas. To raise funds
for the new community schools, these centers were then required
to be self-sustaining through user fees and therefore the money
originally intended for the centers was redirected towards supporting
two Community Schools. In this review, information from written
documents is supplemented with examples and experiences in the
development of Salome Urena Middle Academies, IS 218 as articulated
in the interview with the former Director of IS 218.
The Community School Model
A Community School model has emerged at IS 218. It shares elements
of existing models but also has unique components.
The Community Centered Model - Shared Elements
· Creation and support of natural helping networks; social worker stimulates and motivates individuals to take an active role in the system.
· All providers are sensitive to the social dimension of health and learning.
· The service recipients are seen as active partners and relationships with practitioners, social workers, and teachers are personalised, informal, and egalitarian.
· Administratively the bureaucratic, hierarchical model is rejected for a management style suffused by a democratic ethos.
Model Elements Unique to IS 218
· An inclusive view of human resource development that encompasses service providers.
· CAS community school director sees staff development as a primary component of her job.
· A longitudinal view of education and service which includes a long-term, if not lifetime commitment.
· Interviews indicate that, like relationships, the working relationship between the principal and the on-site Director of the CAS program needed sufficient time to grow.
· The administrators have to achieve a level of comfort with one another that can be established only during months of working together.
· A needs assessment was conducted.
· Reorganizing education and child welfare systems to include integrated planning for children and families.
A myriad of services and programs were developed to enrich the learning environment of students, parents, and staff.
Parent Support and Involvement
Parents are actively involved in the delivery of services. Social
workers, paraprofessionals, graduate students, parents, and other
volunteers staff the Family Resource Centers (located within the
schools). These Centers provide access to on-site health and learning
services, food, housing, legal aid, employment assistance referrals,
and immigration assistance. The Centers conduct parenting-skills
training workshops, and serve as a central meeting place for parents.
Adult Education classes in ESL, literacy, GED, computers, and
math, for example, are made available. Parents are also encouraged
to volunteer and work on parent committees that are actively involved
with school governance. In this setting, parents are able to provide
each other with invaluable support.
Innovative Curriculum and Structure
At IS 218, students are divided into four theme-based academies,
or mini-schools: business; community services; expressive arts;
and mathematics, science and technology. Each academy has two
self-contained units with five classes and five teachers who act
as advisors. Creative methods of learning such as interdisciplinary
instruction, flexible scheduling, and cooperative learning are
part of the Community School model.
Extended Day Programs
All the extended day programs are voluntary. Extended day academies
tie in directly with what students are learning during the day.
For instance, students in the Business Academy have the opportunity
to run joint ventures. Art, sports, and recreational activities
are available after school for all students, including teen and
youth development programs. In the summer many activities and
days camps are planned, including teen day trip programs and summer
dance camps.
On-Site Health Care
Each Community School has on-site medical, dental, and eye clinics.
Children from birth and onward are served. Medical services include
primary care, immunizations, first aid, emergency care, and prophylactic
medication. Dental services include X-rays, cleanings, and some
extractions are also available. Vision and hearing screenings
are conducted for every child, and glasses can be obtained from
IS 218's eye clinic.
Mental Health Services
To provide these services, each school is staffed with social
workers, a part-time psychologist, psychiatrist, and an art therapist.
At each Community School, individual, family, and/or group counselling
is available. A teen pregnancy program has been launched at IS
218. Also unique to IS 218 is the Peer Mediation of conflicts
referred by teachers.
Community Development
Comprehensive services are made available for children from birth
through age 3 and their families. To further involve and develop
communities, parent advisory and business councils have been created.
Both are locally recruited and provide assistance in building
partnerships with community agencies and leaders.
INPUT
The strategy behind this model is to build school-community partnerships
that bring teachers, parents, and community agencies together
to ensure that every child enters the classroom ready to learn.
Communities must develop and tailor programs that reflect their
strengths, their resources, and the needs of their children and
families.
The Community Schools in Washington Heights are now funded through
a mixture of private dollars, money from the local District and
grants. CAS's ability to bring in other partners to take on certain
aspects of the program, such as the adult education component,
enhances the sustainability and uniqueness of this model.
Potential partners are recruited by and approach CAS. Critical
partners identified include school representatives such as superintendents,
principals, teachers, staff; community, social and youth service
agencies; community-based and comprehensive service agency leaders;
parents and other community members; children; and funders.
PROCESS
The school has its own organizational structure, and therefore
CAS works with the existing structure. CAS has a full-time Community
School Director on-site, who is a Masters level professional,
(preferably a social worker). Program Directors help manage the
day-to-day operations; for example, one may be responsible for
a particular after school program. The Director of Community Schools
oversees all nine schools, the two administrative supervisors,
the on-site Community School Director, and the Program Directors.
As developed by IS 218, the Cabinet is the governing body and
consists of principals, school leadership, leaders from CAS, parents,
community, school leadership, and the Community School Director.
The Cabinet meets regularly to see how to support the school and
its mission. Disagreements are discussed and are hashed out. Partners
may view children from different lenses and they may not agree
on the most appropriate route; however, there is a consensus on
intended outcomes. This shared vision is instrumental in facilitating
consensual decision-making and allowing stakeholders with differing
philosophies to work together. Also critical, is formal time for
meetings to be set aside and the opportunity for informal meetings
to be made available. This helps develop trust, which in turns
fosters amicable and productive working relationships.
Turf issues are cited as a challenge in such collaborative efforts.
A power shift away from the school board and the Principal towards
a shared partnership with community agencies and parents is needed
to overcome issues of territory. Hence, the system of service
delivery needs to be reorganized in order to share decision-making
power. Other such obstacles include conflicting working styles,
speaking different "languages", and differing priorities.
A consensus on common priorities, a vision statement, and endorsing
a partner versus tenant attitude, are techniques that facilitate
overcoming barriers and obstacles that are likely to be faced
in any collaborative endeavour.
Part of developing and maintaining 'interagency-related relations'
involves having the ability and the procedures in place to resolve
disputes. According to this model, communication that is open
and non-reactive, and making sufficient time available to plan,
are useful processes that help to minimize conflict and to resolve
disputes. Most important to the success in the development of
a Community School at IS 218, is a power shift from singular control
by the Principal and local Board of Education to a shared partnership
with human service agencies. Relationship building is the key
to success of an interagency collaboration. Agencies can achieve
this by maintaining a visible presence in the school and by providing
services from which the entire school-community can benefit. This
helps change how people look at schools and how schools perceive
the community. A cultural transformation needs to occur in the
school and in the community in order to create a new Community
School entity. The general difficulty, however, is the lack of
time afforded to allow relationships to form and mature. Hence,
building and maintaining partnerships between the school and the
community as equals may be the most critical and the most difficult
part of the collaborative process.
How to Build Collaboration
· Plan together from the start to enhance the level of commitment and understanding of the program's goals.
· Clarify your mission by creating a vision statement, which will outline goals, purpose, and philosophy.
· Set ground rules regarding who will lead meetings, and the decision-making process.
· Start small and build gradually.
· Bring parents in early to mobilize support and build community acceptance.
· Share decision-making.
· Prepare team members to work together by providing training in small interactive groups on team building, shared decision-making, communication, conflict resolution skills, and cultural sensitivity.
· Stay flexible.
In their experience, CAS was able to build positive relationships with teachers and other professionals by maintaining their presence in the school and by taking on specific tasks to support the school. They were also instrumental in bringing in quality services, and helping to increase parental involvement.
How to Maintain Interdisciplinary Collaboration
· start with a legitimate community-wide planning process that is indigenously generated
· provide strong leadership
· include broad citizen and parent involvement
· focus on accountability
· encourage participants to proceed step by step into the collaboration
PRODUCT
The obvious benefits of the Community School approach are the
practice of a
preventative approach to service delivery and the ability to plan
ahead and look at
families earlier in the larger societal context. Collaboration
reduces service duplication,
frees up time and funds for additional services, and increases
effectiveness of
professional services. However, this process is extremely costly
and therefore, building
and sustaining the relationships required for success prove to
be a challenge.
Although the longitudinal aspect of the research on the Community
Schools in the Washington Heights-Inward is still in formation,
two former evaluations of the Community Schools have been conducted
by the Fordham University to date. These interim evaluations document
the development and processes that support the new learning environment
and its early outcomes. The interim evaluation of IS 218 (Robison,
1993) is used as a guide to examine what is happening in the schools
and in the community and to determine where the focus needs to
be shifted.
The Interim report indicates that impressive results have been
connected to the project
(Robison, 1993). After 6 months of operation, many of the program
elements are still in the beginning stages of implementation.
Nevertheless, many positive signs have been noted to indicate
that the project is having at least three intended effects on
the children:
· positive attitudes - no graffiti, no truancy, and no destruction of school property;
· academic achievement - increased interest, enriched and experiential grounded curriculum and activities; and
· dedicated teachers and staff; and excellent attendance.
The on-site Community School Director is responsible for filling
monthly reports that address the emerging issues, and assess school-community
needs. Feedback from parents and anecdotal evidence thus far depict
that this model has had an impact on the emotional, social, and
academic development of the student and community members. Higher
attendance rates and levels of participation, and lower mobility
rates are indicators of the success enjoyed by IS 218.
There has been a change in the school-wide culture, which has
implications for future application of the Community School model.
The complicating factor in the IS 218 project is the presence
of parallel disciplines with differing criteria for assessing
their own effectiveness and efficiency, different organizational
and professional loyalties, different informational needs, and
different central tasks and activity configurations (Robison,
1993). These factors create barriers that have been associated
with failures of collaborations. A cultural gap that existed between
teachers and the CAS initially reinforced such barriers (Robison,
1993). Key is that all participants want to see every child succeed
and that all stakeholders recognize the unique contribution each
profession can make to that goal through combined effort and rational
deployment of resources.
Essential to success is a committed partnership between the school
and school district, social service providers and parents; shifts
in the ownership of the school; shared ownership; a seamless network
of services; and the expansion of the schools as the center of
community life. The capacity and willingness to connect grass-roots
efforts to broader sources of support has been identified as an
important condition of project stabilization. A new entity must
be created when there is a collaboration between educators and
social services providers. Collaboration is ongoing and it must
be continually scrutinized as it develops. In doing so, many implications
for future practice are noted. These include: an influence on
professionals' attitudes and methods of service delivery, an impact
on how universities prepare professionals, and an expanded conversation
about the role of principals, teachers, and mental health workers.
TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTER FOR THE EDUCATION
OF
IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
CENTER DE FORMATION ET INFORMATION POUR LA
SCOLARISATION
DES ENFANTS DES MIGRANTS (C.E.F.I.S.E.M.)
Montpellier, France
CONTEXT
Languedoc-Roussillon is located in the capital city of Montpellier
in southern France. Languedoc-Roussillon has a population of approximately
208,100 including immigrant and nomadic peoples. Compared to the
rest of France, this city has a high rate of unemployment. High
levels of immigration into this area bring together a host of
people with differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The
racism that was prevalent in France is now less evident as anti-racism
movements have flourished. However, problems still experienced
in this community concern the lack of understanding towards an
immigrant population with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The development of appropriate methods of schooling was required
to assist immigrant children to succeed in a foreign educational
system. Every year the school system opens its doors to approximately
800 new foreign youths. The major impetus in the creation of the
Training and Information Center for the Education of Immigrant
Children (CEFISEM - Center de Formation et Information pour la
Scolarisation) was the desire to see children succeed. From this
desire stemmed the need to provide teachers with the specialized
assistance necessary to meet the unique needs of immigrant students.
As a result, in 1990 the Minister of Education formed CEFISEM,
and organized a partnership between this Center and the surrounding
schools (circulaire 90-270, October 9, 1990). The Center, established
in Montpellier in 1992, aims to:
· provide training for teachers and other partners involved;
· make available members of the CEFISEM within the pedagogical didactic team to the school;
· provide immediate and tailored solutions according to the needs of the teachers - solutions involve assistance in analyzing the situation, making suggestions, training, providing documented resources, and helping to define particular projects; and· help the school with administrative-related duties.
In 1993, CEFISEM was linked to a national organization responsible
for the training of educated professionals, Mission Academique
Pour la Formation du Personnel de l'Education National (MASPEN).
This new partnership demonstrated the Center's commitment to teachers
of the schools in this region. An important turning point for
the Center was the development of a web site used to communicate
and distribute information. In 1994, a partnership between the
Social Action Fund for immigrant workers and their families (FAS,
Fonds d'Action Sociale pour les Travailleurs Migrants et leur
Familles) was created. This new collaborative relationship stimulated
increased action around partnership training, school fellowship,
and school mediation.
The goals of the Center have not changed from their initial articulation.
However, the value placed in building relationships based on partnerships
with other associations geared to the immigrant population has
gradually increased. Helping different partners understand each
other, and training the school mediation teachers are vital parts
of this project. The Center's evolution into a collaborative endeavour
is regarded as a positive development.
The Center is organized into two areas, teacher training and pilot
services. The integration of services was a response to the need
for collaboration, brought on by the political climate and increases
in the student immigrant population. In particular, the services
of the Center include:
· to assess the students' abilities, especially the language abilities;
· to provide special classes for pupils waiting to be integrated into the regular class;
· to assume the role of a guide or resource for teachers and their partners; including recruiting other partners as the need arises;
· to provide teachers with training in cultural awareness; and
· to help teachers develop special projects or programs for children.
The Center is also responsible for maintaining partnerships among
the different public services, the various Ministries, such as
the City Council (Politique de la Ville), the National Education
organization (Education Nationale), and the Social Action Fund
for immigrant workers and their families (Fonds d'Action sociale
pour les Travailleurs Migrants et leur Familles, FAS). The family
remains the focus as the Center believes that the family is crucial
to the design, introduction, and implementation of any intervention
or mediation.
INPUT
Services are publicly supported by MASPEN (which provides eighty
percent of the funding), by the Minister, and by the Social Action
Fund. Schools in this area are allotted special funds by the government,
(ZEP, Zone d'Education Prioritaire), due to the high rates of
poverty. Political support from the Mayor and others was deemed
desirable.
PROCESS
Having the Center as part of the school facilitates collaborative
working relationships between the school and the Center staff.
Personnel within the Center and within the school overlap (teachers,
school inspectors, for example). Monthly meetings are organized
by the Center and chaired by the Director, and bring together
the Coordinator, and the trainers. School Principals are provided
with these monthly reports. The Center is responsible for annual
reports to the school, though the reports have been less frequent
than ideal.
School Inspectors act as a liaison between the teachers, the principal,
and the parents on one hand and the coordinators, trainers, and
directors on the other. The Inspector, rather than the Principal
of the school, has authority over the teachers, and therefore,
keeps the Principal informed about the interventions adopted in
his/her school. Decisions are made together by a Center representative
and the teachers. The Center also works with the regional coordinator,
who is a teacher, on problems that require higher levels of input.
Initially, the teachers did not respond well to the development
of the Center and its goals as they perceived its creation to
be a threat to their authority and expertise as teachers. The
misperception that the Center was "taking over" the
teachers' responsibility for their students, was a barrier; however,
it was overcome by increased communication and contact with all
staff involved within this collaborative effort. Another initial
barrier was that teachers were not convinced that training was
the answer to their problems. After some initial difficulties,
however, the Center was able to garner trust from all of its partners,
and the teachers became more open and willing to work together
with staff from the Center.
Conflicts among teachers and other staff involved with the Center
rarely occur. The Center tries to solve conflicts by negotiating
solutions and by bringing in other players, such as experts from
organizations that can knowledgeably mediate a particular situation.
For example, when there is a disagreement with the decision proposed
by the Principal of the school, solutions are negotiated and outside
experts are brought in to assist with this negotiation process.
PRODUCT
The Center has found it difficult to measure the effectiveness
of its interventions because base line data and evaluation were
not initially conducted. The importance of including all teaching
and school staff from the onset of this endeavour is punctuated.
During 1998, immigration decreased and the Center thus shifted
its focus to students living in poverty and to students that faced
learning challenges. However, when the rate of immigration increased
again, the Center resumed its initial focus.
CASE STUDIES:
COMMUNITY BASED MODELS
THE URBAN LEARNING CENTERS
A NEW AMERICAN SCHOOLS DESIGN
Los Angeles, California
CONTEXT
The Urban Learning Center (ULC), formerly known as the Los Angeles
Learning Center is a comprehensive prekindergarten through grade
twelve model for urban schools. The Learning Center Design calls
for significant changes in teaching, learning, school management,
and governance. To overcome barriers to learning, the Design also
addresses the health and well-being of students. This Design seeks
to create a learning environment strongly connected to its community,
where a well-organized and a well-managed school support high-quality
instruction. The Design is composed of three parts: teaching and
learning, governance and management, and learning supports. Two
additional features that underlie the implementation of the aforementioned
components are technology and professional development.
The Urban Learning Center Design was developed through a collaboration
between a school district, and a teachers' union, with the support
of the New American Schools Development Corporation. The New American
Schools Development Corporation represent a public-private collaboration
of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), United Teachers
of Los Angeles (UTLA), and the Los Angeles Educational Partnerships
(LAEP). Support was also provided by other educational, corporate,
and community organizations. The California State Department of
Education, the LAUSD, and the UTLA have adapted the Design's Learning
Supports component as a critical factor in preparing children
to learn. To implement this model, the initial processes include
a school-wide assessment, background training on the elements
of the design, and the development of a strategic plan for implementation.
Depending on the needs of the community a unique implementation
plan is developed for each school.
The Urban Learning Center Model
Funded in 1993, the ULC Design has reconstructed schools from
pre-school through 12th grade by weaving research-based and proven
educational strategies into one design for improving student learning.
A three-year time line for whole school change is recommended
for the implementation of the ULC Design. The first 3-6 months
are required for orientation. Foundation building takes approximately
12-18 months with an additional 12-24 months for capacity building.
During this time, the activities that are undertaken include a
school-wide self-assessment (mapping existing programs against
components of ULC Design); coaching from external design coordinators
(a team of expert consultants in each of the components); and
training in the application of technology to creating solutions
in management, instruction, and learning supports. The ULC Design
addresses processes related to teaching, managing, governing schools,
and ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of students
and their families.
The Design is based on the following principles: rethinking education,
(Teaching and Learning), restructuring schools, (Governance and
Management), and rebuilding community (Learning Supports, which
promote the physical and emotional well-being of students and
their families). Rethinking education is reflected in high student
achievement and relevant learning. The schools are restructured
so that a democratic model of governance is employed and long-range
organizational plans are developed. The Learning Supports aim
to restructure and integrate school and community resources to
improve the health and well-being of students and families. The
focus is not only on learning, but on enabling students to learn.
Rethinking Education (Teaching and Learning)
Urban Learning Centers practice team planning and collaborative
instructional strategies. At these schools curriculum is designed
and implemented as interdisciplinary, thematic, and student-centred
with a wide range of tools used to assess performance. The curriculum
is organized around central themes and across subject areas. The
ULC Career Academics, in collaboration with local businesses and
community agencies, prepare students for the transition to work
or post-secondary education. Advanced technology provides resources
for students, teachers, and parents. At an ULC, a teacher is a
facilitator of learning, a designer of curriculum, an instructor
diagnosing and addressing student progress, and a continual learner.
A variety of tools, including sample interdisciplinary units and
curriculum templates to assist teams of teachers in creating their
own lessons are available for any school that wants to adapt the
design.
Restructuring Schools (Governance and Management)
Authority and responsibility for budgeting, governing, and learning
are shared among teachers, staff, administrators, parents, community
members, and secondary school students. Time for ongoing professional
development and planning is integral to the success of this Design.
Rebuilding Community (Learning Supports)
The purpose of the Learning Supports is to connect schools with
health, human services, and community resources. These Learning
Supports (such as comprehensive referral and counselling systems,
organized community outreach, and extensive volunteer involvement),
help engage and create a community that supports learning. In
order to further support learning, the ULC Design assists schools
in building partnerships with appropriate social and community
services that are not traditionally part of the schools' programs.
These activities and services are coordinated by a Family and
Community Service Center facility located at the school, and are
staffed by professionals and volunteers from the school and private
and public agencies. School support services are comprehensively
integrated and linked with community resources as a strategy to
prevent and remove barriers to learning.
For the purposes of this case study, the Principal, from Foshay
Learning Center, a Technical Assistant from Corona Avenue Elementary,
the Director of the Urban Learning Centers, and an Organizational
Development Consultant were interviewed. Written documents about
the aforementioned schools and the ULC Design supplement the information
obtained through these interviews.
Demonstration Sites
Elizabeth Learning Center Elementary in Cudahy and Foshay Learning
Center in South Central Los Angeles are the original Urban Learning
Center sites. Elizabeth Street Elementary was the first site selected
in July 1993 by the Design Team to develop and implement the ULC
Design. Foshay Middle School was chosen as the second site and
implementation of the Design began in July 1994. Two newer sites
are in progress at Corona Avenue Elementary in Southeast Los Angeles
and at 32nd Street Magnet in South Central Los Angeles.
In 1989, Foshay Middle School was sited as the one of 31 worst
schools in Los Angeles. As described in the interview with the
Principal, ". . . it was a dirty inner-city school, and the
students were found wandering the halls". The staff and community
wanted change so when The New American Schools Corporation invited
applications for school reform designs, the community applied.
The Principal of Foshay Learning Center was on the ULC Design
Committee to write and implement the model at its first site.
In 1991, Foshay Middle School along with many other schools were
successful in receiving a state grant of 1.5 million over 5 years
to implement a New American Schools Design.
Foshay Learning Center
In 1994, Foshay Middle School housed 1,800 students and by
1999 the student population grew to 3,400. Now known as the Foshay
Learning Center, the school has also expanded to being a prekindergarten
to grade twelve site. The school has 180 elementary students,
2,600 middle school students and 630 students in the high school
program. Seventy percent of the student population is Hispanic,
and approximately 30% are African-American. Ninety-eight percent
of the student body are eligible for free or reduced fee lunch.
Foshay Learning Center is now considered the best Title-1 school
in the District.
The school is structured so that academic classes run all-year
round, with intersessions to allow students to catch up or develop
new skills. More specifically, the school session is 16 weeks,
with an 8 week intersession (vacation). This system is known as
multitracking. As a result of the size of the student population,
one-third of the middle school students are on vacation at any
given time. The elementary and high schools, however, operate
on a one track system.
Marriage, family, and child counsellors and social work interns
from the University of Southern California staff the Family and
Community Service Centers. Everyone in the community who uses
the Center (except for the students) pays a nominal fee or donates
time for the services they receive. Parent training programs are
also available after school and on weekends. These Centers provide
coordinated health-related services for students and families
and address the Learning Supports component of the Design by offering
services that extend beyond and link with traditional counselling.
These Centers assist with enabling students to learn by situating
academics within the context of student well-being, and thereby
promoting a holistic approach to learning.
Corona Avenue Elementary School
Corona Avenue Elementary School is a Los Angeles Unified School
located southeast of downtown in the city of Bell. It is a multitrack
year round, predominately bilingual school with a student population
of approximately 2,100. Seventy-five percent of the students originate
from families whose primary language is Spanish. HyperCard technology
has been integrated into the daily curriculum and instruction
since 1986; hence, Corona Avenue Elementary is recognized as an
established California Model Technology School (MTS).
Corona Avenue Elementary shortens the school day one or two days
a month (to 1:40 p.m.) and opens its doors to parents, who can
attend classes with the students as learners. Usually, 140-400
parents attend per day. Integrating parents into the learning
environment furthers the goal of making the school central to
the community and the community part of the school. Academy special
interest classes (e.g. woodworking, art) are available for the
students to enhance their learning experience. Parent classes
and training for example in computer literacy or ESL, are also
offered during and after school hours.
INPUT
The major partners involved are ULC staff in LAEP, UTLA, and the
District. As an ULC, Foshay can obtain waivers to change certain
District regulations that are not consistent with or do not support
the goals and the structure of the ULC design. The District allows
Foshay Learning Center the freedom and discretion to apply for
these waivers. The New American Schools Corporation provided Foshay
Learning Center an amount in excess of 2 million dollars for training,
computers, and expertise when the Urban Learning Center Model
was implemented.
ULC staff provide ongoing professional training, and technical
assistance with the implementation of site-based decision-making,
advanced technology, and with models that effectively engage parents
and communities. The Technical Assistance Team is a group of Consultants
assigned to the school to assist with the implementation of the
design; for instance, planning, facilitating the change process,
introducing technology as a tool, integrating learning supports
on campus, and organizing and delivering professional and stakeholder
development sessions.
PROCESS
Each group of stakeholders in the school elects or appoints representatives
to a committee, which drafts and presents the governance plan
for review by all groups. Once a plan is accepted, school governance
is carried out by a Site-Based Management Council (the decision-making
body) made up of key partners such as teachers, parents, students,
staff members, and administrators. At Corona Avenue Elementary,
the governance council follows state and federal guidelines. The
Council at this site is made up of 14 members: seven representing
parents, the Principal, one lead teacher, one member elected from
each of the three tracks, one classified member (custodian, office
support), and one teaching assistant. The council works with sub-committees,
to make decisions regarding budgeting, curriculum, student discipline,
and community relations with input and involvement from the full
school-community.
Training provided by the Organizational Development Consultants
is informed by the Harvard Negotiation Project and systems thinking
as described by Senge (1990). A win-win problem solving paradigm
is the framework that guides this training. "The ULC Design
promotes solutions that work for everybody". The role of
the Organizational Development Consultants is to facilitate and
intervene when the decision-makers reach an impasse and to provide
training to various stakeholder groups. Some of the topics covered
in this training include: roles, goals, and processes in meetings,
active listening, overt team building, effective consensus decision-making,
and goal setting. The training is hands-on and interactive. Unfortunately,
due to economic constraints, only leadership partake in this training.
To offset this limitation, mixed stakeholder training sessions
are held. However, the entire school-community are potential benefactors
and therefore training similar to this for an expanded group of
stakeholders is strongly advised. The assumption underlying this
approach is that through consensus, better decisions are made
and these decisions are more likely to be supported when stakeholders
are regularly included and are integral to the process from the
onset.
Foshay Learning Center
At Foshay Learning Center a School-Based Management Leadership
Council was in existence prior to the implementation of the Urban
Learning Center Design. This council consists of nine teachers,
nine parents, three students, two classified (non teaching) staff
members, the Principal, and a Union Chair member. Members of this
Council are selected by their constituents. Each of the multi-track
teachers, the high school and elementary teachers select a representative,
and in total four teachers are elected. The Title-1 and Bilingual
Chair coordinators are elected by the teachers as is the UTLA
(union) Chapter Chair. Parents elect nine other parents to represent
them on the council, and classified staff elect two representatives
from their group. The students are elected by the student government
classes. The Principal, of course, is not elected. The Council
meets every other week and sets policy for the school. The Principal
is responsible for enforcing this policy. Accessibility to the
decision-making process and representativeness on the Council
is paramount to arrive at informed and effective decisions.
Corona Avenue Elementary
The Council at Corona Avenue Elementary make decisions about money,
plant allocation, usage, and curriculum. If consensus is not reached,
by-laws provide for a vote. Academic committees have been established
for the different curriculum areas. These committees are responsible
for handling the budget and personnel issues for their respective
curriculum area. These Committees range in size, and represent
staff and parents. As a newer ULC site, the governance council
at Corona Avenue Elementary is still in its formative stages of
development, and therefore, is continuously evolving to meet the
needs of the school and the community.
As part of the governance and management strategy (the restructuring
schools component of the Design), a democratic model of governance
is employed. In this model, consensus is defined as "agreement
to support the best alternative choice available at the time even
if it is not the first choice". Consensus is arrived at through
discussion about the issues, the use of active listening skills,
and other techniques learned through training offered by the Organizational
Developmental Consultants. "Building consensus is a long,
hard process"; hence, the intervention and training provided
by these consultants is identified as the most useful tool for
enabling consensual decision-making to occur. Decision-making
is the heart of the work and it revolves around using the most
facilitative and appropriate techniques.
Knowledge of the processes involved to effectively resolve
disputes helps equip the participants with the skills that enable
them to make effective decisions. Principals make decisions when
time is short, based on their knowledge of community and school
needs. In resolving disputes as a group, generally a 24/48 rule
is recommended - think it through for 24 hours, and bring it up
in 48 hours or drop it. Creating an opportunity at the beginning
of the meeting to warm up or to engage in team building exercises
to learn more about each other is also recommended. Another effective
strategy that can be used in a group to avoid an impasse or to
overcome a deadlock, is to take a few minutes at the end of a
meeting to review what has worked and what could have been done
differently. When trying to resolve disputes, the least successful
technique "is when the administration or the District seizes
the decision back and makes it for the entire school-community".
The following is an example described in the interview with Karen
Bading that highlights a process that can be used to resolve disputes
and reach decisions that increase the likelihood to be upheld
by all involved. In California, bilingual education is an issue
of contention. The question posed is whether every child should
be entitled to interaction in their native language. The two positions
are either yes or no. To facilitate conversations
and a decision-making process that is not impeded by positional
attitudes, each side is asked to determine what issues and concerns
underlie their position. The groups are then required to examine
possible issues the other perspective may have. The purpose of
this procedure is for each group to develop an ability to empathize
and to understand the assumptions/concerns of the other group.
After considering all views that they have arrived at, the groups
are then separately asked to write a proposal that incorporates
and considers the concerns of both sides and to suggest possible
solutions that may be acceptable as a best alternative. Proposals
are then brought back to the larger group and dialogue ensues
about the possible solutions.
The goal of this process is to uncover the assumptions underlying
the positions that are upheld by each side, and to facilitate
conversation that is based on an understanding of, and consideration
for, the different perspectives. When all the issues and assumptions
are surfaced, decision-making and conflict management abilities
are enhanced. "The quality in the execution of decision-making
is the most significant factor for successful collaboration .
. . however, training in soft skills is the hardest to sell because
it is the most growth provoking and painful". If stakeholders
resist, the group can assist by inviting them to participate.
To affect long-term change, structural reorganization cannot occur
in isolation. A reorganization in relationships is needed.
Each collaborating partner has a different philosophy and approach
to service delivery and to the integration of these services.
In order to integrate these differing ideologies, the commitment
to change must extend throughout the entire organizational structure
of each participating agency. The different partners involved
need to take the time to get together and openly discuss their
respective strategies. This will help uncover their respective
issues and will facilitate the development of effective working
relations in a collaborative environment. Differences can be celebrated
and incorporated when the procedures inherent to decision-making
include the process outlined above.
"Power is a fact of life, resulting in not wanting to share
what you do or know". In this model, teachers and parents
have more power, because everybody has their own distinct role
and opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process,
and, therefore, power issues and struggles are hopefully minimized.
Thus, inherent to the success of the implementation of this design
is a paradigm shift towards empowering all stakeholders and a
win-win problem solving approach.
PRODUCT
Both high schools have demonstrated high attendance rates, strong
grade-point averages, and low dropout rates since the implementation
of the ULC model. Parental presence at both schools is up dramatically
and this has reduced student misbehaviour on campus. Career academies
and their specialized curriculum allow high school students to
apply educational knowledge to real life, resulting in students
who are more engaged in learning and more prepared for the transition
from school to either work or college.
At Foshay Learning Center certain behavioural measures depict
effectiveness of the ULC Design. At this site:
· students test scores have increased (Stanford 9, and the California standardized test)
· attendance rate averages 94-96%
· there is a zero drop out rate
· fights are minimal
· the school is cleaner
· vandalism in a six month period amounted to $180.00
· overall grades are better
· school to work transition internships work well
Similar results are found at Corona Avenue Elementary with
more staff and parent involvement cited as major indices of change.
The main vehicle for feedback at both sites is meetings held by
teachers in the same multi track or by high and elementary schools
once a month. Meetings with members of staff and the community
held on a regular basis is a vehicle for informal feedback. Information
about the use of services and other client data is stored district
wide. However, at Corona Avenue Elementary, information on the
students' test scores, their participation in various programs,
and special needs is recorded internally.
As explained in interviews with various ULC staff and stakeholders
at these schools, school reform takes a lot of time, and extra
time on the part of staff and parents. For example, at Foshay
Learning Center, results depicting change were not evident until
5-7 years after the Design was first implemented.
To increase parental involvement and presence at Corona Avenue
Elementary, an all stakeholders' day is held once or twice a month.
At these meetings updates on the school are provided and discussed
and all those in attendance have an opportunity to vote on waivers.
Parental involvement and community engagement is critical to the
Learning Supports component of this design. As a strategy to increase
parental engagement, students are requested to give presentations
at these meetings.
The importance of training co-administrators in the model was
not originally recognized. Changes in the model call for increased
training and the inclusion of all stakeholders in the training.
Partnerships with agencies must be negotiated very carefully as
there are always issues of territoriality. "Once the school
sees its role as convenor of the community of learners and does
it with an understanding of other agency and community needs"
school-community collaborations and lasting reform can be a reality.
The major challenge still facing Corona Avenue Elementary is having
teachers and others understand the need for, and benefits of,
a comprehensive and integrative approach to mental health and
education. Important also, is the need to revisit what is working
and to identify strategies that need to be changed. "There
are no simple solutions to the problems of urban education. Try,
evaluation, and try again". Outside expertise to deal with
specific problems is a great tool that should be utilized. "If
we do not deal with all aspects of our students and society, we
can never succeed".
DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
OFFICE OF INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION
YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTERS
Dallas, Texas
CONTEXT
The Hogg Foundation was established more than 50 years ago by
the children of former Governor James Stephen Hogg. Its goal was
to develop "a broad mental health program for bringing great
benefits to the people of Texas" (Hogg Foundation, 1994).
The Foundation is an integral part of the University of Texas
and focuses most of its efforts in "awarding grants to qualified
organizations in Texas, providing technical assistance to grant
recipients and other agencies, presenting programs in mental health
education through conferences and publications, and developing
and directing mental health projects under its own auspices"
(Hogg Foundation, 1994).
In the summer of 1990, the Hogg Foundation created the School
of the Future Project with the overall goal of enhancing the lives
of children and families living in poverty. The concept for School
of the Future grew out of the work of Dr. James Comer of Yale
University School of Medicine and Dr. Edward Zigler of Yale's
Bush Child Development Center. The idea was to use schools as
the Centers of service delivery and to integrate a variety of
health and human services through the schools. A multimillion
dollar initiative, the School of the Future Project committed
to funding four pilot sites, each with $50,000 per year for a
period of five years. This money was intended to provide the financial
support for a full-time social work coordinator at each site.
In addition, the Foundation set aside an equal amount of funding
to provide each site with the necessary technical assistance and
evaluation support.
The initial project had four key aspects: school-based services,
prevention, educational enhancement, and outside support. The
four pilot sites were selected on the basis of five essential
criteria: the integration of a broad spectrum of health and human
services in public schools, involvement of parents and teachers
in the program activities, involvement of many public and private
organizations as partners, a strong commitment to the project
by superintendents, principals, and other school administrators,
and a willingness to participate in the evaluation of the project.
In addition, each pilot site was to target preschool, elementary,
and middle school levels of education. The School of the Future
project emphasized the development of service integration through
long-term collaborations between schools, human service agencies,
and communities. It was expected that education, physical health,
and mental health would all be influenced positively over time
and a variety of improvements were expected for students, families,
schools, and communities.
Nolan Estes Plaza, Dallas, Texas
In 1976, the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) purchased
a shopping Center that had closed in South Oak Cliff. This was
an area characterized by unemployment, single-parent families,
a high percentage of minority residents, substance abuse, and
crime. The community was severely lacking in medical, social,
and recreational facilities and the schools were low in attendance,
achievement, and parent involvement. The DISD renamed the former
mall Nolan Estes Education Plaza and opened two elementary schools
there: McMillan, comprised of 375 students in pre-kindergarten
to grade three and Patton, comprised of 210 students in grades
four to six. A large majority of the students were African-American
and Hispanic and most were eligible for the reduced fee/free lunch
program.
In 1987, the Community Oriented Primary Care Plan (COPC) was developed
through the Parkland Health and Hospital System in order to provide
efficient, low-cost, and quality family-oriented primary care
services within a neighbourhood setting. The plan was implemented
in 1989 and COPC clinics offered health care services to students
and their families.
Around the same time that the Hogg Foundation began planning for
its School of the Future project (in the late 1980s), the Dallas
school board began investigating ways in which to provide students
and families with social and health services. Through its Commission
on Educational Excellence, the school board had begun to develop
a model for coordinating services in the schools and negotiations
had begun with several agencies to base social programs on school
campuses. In addition, ideas were being formulated for obtaining
and renovating space so these services could become permanent
fixtures in schools. In general, the district's goals were to:
· provide a cluster of district services at selected schools serving students and their families from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade;
· establish problem-solving teams on each campus to address individual needs of students and their families and train staff members and parents in team building and problem solving;
· develop a cluster of community services tailored to the needs of neighbourhood families and make them accessible through the schools;
· involve family members and school personnel in the planning process and in the identification of service needs; and
· evaluate the impact of the program through attendance and achievement gains, changes in student behaviour, increased parental involvement, and improved availability and utilization of community services.
In 1990, the Hogg Foundation approached the DISD when the concept,
timing, community population, and space were right. As a result,
the Hogg Foundation obtained the vacant space at the Nolan Estes
Plaza as a pilot site for its School of the Future project in
Dallas. Aided by two school administrators who served as liaisons
to the project (Allen R. Sullivan and Ruth Turner), the Hogg Foundation
and the DISD worked out the details for the project. McMillan,
Patton, and the nearby Boude Storey Middle School became the pilot
schools for the School of the Future Project in Dallas.
Around the same time, a document from the DISD's Commission on
Education Excellence was released. Its purpose was to determine
how to better work together in providing services for children
and families. In 1992, the Youth Services Network was established
to try to implement the recommendations made by the Commission
on Educational Excellence. These included the creation of eight
to ten school support Centers which would be structured to meet
the specific needs of the school staff, students, and community
in the immediate area. A Request for Proposals (RFPs) was put
out to bring two of the programs together: the Youth Impact Centers
and the School of the Future Program.
Initially, there were many enthusiastic players involved, but
no funding existed to support this initiative. It was then suggested
that perhaps, this collaboration could be implemented internally,
within the School District. As a result, a federal RFP was put
out which said that all of the federal dollars from a Title XI
grant could be used for the collaboration. The district applied
for the Title XI grant which would now fund the collaboration.
Title XI funding was plugged in and the program now had approximately
$2 million to fund project managers, clerical staff, administrative
staff, supplies, etc. In addition, the program recruited Mental
Health Mental Retardation (MHMR) in Dallas to provide services.
The program would provide for all of the overhead costs and MHMR
would provide services.
In 1995, the DISD, COPC, and MHMR came together to create the
Youth and Family Centers. Once the three programs came together,
there was a combined total of seven sites. The program has since
expanded to nine Centers and these Centers are located strategically
in nine different geographic regions of Dallas. There are currently
302 schools in Dallas, all of which are serviced by a Youth and
Family Center. In addition, there are two new programs, the Before
& After School Program and the Homeless Program, presently
administered by OIC, but not currently integrated with YFC. Approximately
21,000 students in the Youth & Family Centers Program, approximately
22,000 students in the Before & After School Program, and
approximately 2,000 students in the Homeless Program receive services.
Two core services are offered by the overall program: physical
health and mental health. Physical health involves the provision
of immunizations, episodic care, and some chronic (eg. "well-child")
care. Mental health involves the provision of psychological evaluations
and counselling. The three program partners, the DISD, Parkland
Health and Hospital System's Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC),
and Dallas County MHMR set 8 program goals for the Youth and Family
Centers:
· To implement school-linked Youth and Family Centers that address physical, emotional, and social needs of the students.
· To promote articulated health and mental health services for the mutual clients of coalition partners at the Youth and Family Centers.
· To provide access to equitable health and mental health services throughout the Dallas Public Schools within five years.
· To promote family focused programs, which enhance the well being of families (recreation, adult basic education, and family training).
· To obtain resources and procure grants from city, county, state, and federal entities, including Medicaid, as well as other third party reimbursements.
· To provide training for collaborative project partners staff.
· To link local, state, and national school-based health and mental health organizations.
· To develop appropriate evaluation tools to assess and modify services on an annual basis (Baker and Associates, 1996).
Their mission statement reads as follows:
The Youth and Family Centers Partnership has been formed to promote
and assure health, mental health care, and other support services
to Dallas children and their families. The collaborative project
partners believe school-based Youth and Family Centers represent
an essential strategy toward improving the lives of children and
optimizing their ability to be successful in school and become
contributing members of society. The collaborative project partners
believe that academic, social, emotional, and physical health
development are directly linked. By increasing access to physical/mental
health and other support services in a school setting, Youth and
Family Centers offer compassionate and competent care which addresses
the unique needs of children and their families.
A recent report by Bush, Alexander, Mitchell, and Webster (1997)
found that 52% of the students served were male, 45% Hispanic,
40% African-American, and 13% Anglo.
The program which currently exists in Dallas, the Youth and Family
Centers, evolved and expanded tremendously from the 1990-1995
School of the Future pilot program.
A variety of services are offered in each of the Centers, depending
upon the needs of the families. A Center Coordinator at each site
is responsible for coordinating the services which are offered.
Various agencies provide satellite offices which are housed within
the Youth and Family Centers. As a result, families can access
numerous services in the same place. A referral process is in
place within the schools in order to refer children and their
families for services at the Centers. In addition, the Centers
may dispatch workers to the school for various reasons.
The DISD provides the administrative structure, space, and case
management for the nine Centers. MHMR provides for students' mental
health needs through psychiatric, family, psychological, and medication
services. COPC provides for students' health history, health maintenance,
medication, and laboratory tests.
INPUT
The initial funding for the three Parkland clinics came from the
federal Maternal and Child Health Services. Funding for the earlier
Youth Impact Centers was provided by several foundations and corporations:
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Communities Foundation,
Rosewood Corporation, Southwestern Bell Foundation, Exxon Corporation,
Zale Corporation, Hobiltzelle Foundations, the Meadows Foundation,
and an anonymous foundation (Bush, Alexander, Mitchell, &
Webster, 1997). The Hogg Foundation provided further funding,
at $50,000 per year for five years, through the School of the
Future Project. Title XI funds are limited to funding the program's
infrastructure and direct services must rely upon other forms
of funding.
Model Adopted by the Youth Family Centers
The Centers each service one of nine high school feeder patterns
in Dallas and all of the Centers operate within or near the school
campuses. The Centers all use a systemic model which is geared
towards integrated service delivery. This approach is based on
the work of Botvin (1986), who believes that "adolescent
high-risk behaviours stem from a complex interplay of factors:
social influences from parents, peers, and the media; personality
characteristics, and values. Thus, interventions must be designed
to address these multiple antecedent factors by dealing with social
influences and by teaching coping skills." The model views
a border between school and community, with community providing
physical health care, mental health care, student and family counselling,
parent and home education, youth development, and after school
care. The family is housed within the school and the child exists
within the family. The model views the Youth and Family Centers
as the link between the school and the community.
The services offered at each Center are categorized as physical
health services, intensive mental health services, and support
services. The physical health services include health maintenance
exams, urgent care, immunizations, sports physicals, medication,
nutrition counselling, lab work, episodic care, and chronic disease
management. Social workers complete a family history at the clinic
and a medical evaluation is done. A collaborative treatment plan
is then developed and the clinic staff follows up with the school
nurse (Bush, Alexander, Mitchell, & Webster, 1997).
The mental health services are provided through MHMR and take
place in the form of psychiatric evaluation and medication. Parents
are required to attend the mental health visits with their children.
When the child arrives at the Center, an assessment is completed
by a collaborative treatment team which includes a child and adolescent
psychologist, mental health professionals, and school staff. They
then develop a collaborative treatment plan as well as a school
service plan. Specific treatment services may include individual,
family, or group therapy, medical evaluation and intervention,
medication, school interventions, and student support groups (Bush,
Alexander, Mitchell, & Webster, 1997).
Other support services offered by the Centers include counselling,
parent education/home education, family therapy, group therapy,
individual therapy, support groups, the Legal Advocacy for Minors
Program (LAMP), drug education, Adult Basic Education (ABE), the
Family Youth/Interaction (FYI) Program, the Power of Parenting
Program (POP), and others. Youth development activities such as
youth clubs, recreation activities, and art classes are offered
(Bush, Alexander, Mitchell, & Webster, 1997).
PROCESS
Strategic planning takes place at the District level every three
years. Statistical results from research, evaluation, and surveys
are used in this process. In addition, there are two specific
planning groups in place. The larger planning group, which is
made up of upper and middle managers from all of the partners,
meets once per month to discuss policy issues, engage in long-term
planning, and review the overall progress of the collaboration.
A subcommittee of this group, referred to as the Operations Development
Committee, is made up of only middle managers. This group discusses
day to day issues on a weekly basis (Bush, Alexander, Mitchell,
& Webster, 1997). In addition, each Center has an Advisory
Board which makes decisions about services to be offered based
on the needs of the students and families in the area. Each Advisory
Board is staffed 50% by parents and 50% by community members,
business members, teachers, etc. The Center Coordinator arranges
the staffing for the Advisory Board but does not sit on it. Currently,
the smallest board has seven members and the largest board has
23 members.
There are currently three levels of decision-making for each of
the Youth & Family Centers:
· the Advisory Board of each Center;
· the Center Coordinator and the Middle Managers of the various agencies; and
· the Quality Management Teams - comprised of the Directors of the Collaborating Agencies.
Decisions can be "bottom up" or "top down"
however all services and decisions are driven from a "needs"
viewpoint. If a need is identified, a way to service it is found
and decisions are made accordingly.
Generally speaking, all of the staff involved have very positive
feelings about the collaboration. Interaction among professionals
is considered to be very good at the service provision level (e.g.
among workers within the Centers) and at the very top level (ie.
directors, superintendents, head of MHMR, head of social services
for the county, etc.). The service providers are the front-line
workers in the Youth & Family Centers and they work together
very well because they are required to work with one another on
a regular basis within the Centers. The top level players are
essentially good politicians. Their interaction is very good because,
philosophically and financially, they all agree on the concept
of collaboration.
The problems in interaction occur at the level of middle management
because these are the people who are instructed by the Directors
to organize and implement the structure for the collaboration.
These individuals worry whether or not they will still have a
job because there are many managers from the various agencies
who essentially do the same thing. In addition, "turf"
issues arise among the managers from the different agencies. For
example, each agency maintains its own form, even though the different
forms essentially ask for the same information. This makes it
redundant for a family which comes to the Center for a variety
of services, as they are required to fill out a different form,
with the same basic information, for each agency. Despite some
of these challenges however, no agency has left the collaboration
from any of the nine Centers.
When conflict arises at the middle-management level, it is expected
that those involved resolve the conflict on their own, through
collaboration and compromise. Although decisions could be made
at the level of upper management, there is not a large amount
of invested interest in doing so. As far as the District goes,
there are 100,000 students and approximately 22,000 are serviced
through the Youth & Family Centers. Since this is a small
responsibility in the large scheme of things, upper level managers
do not really get involved in resolving conflicts between agency
participants.
PRODUCT
Evaluation of the program is gathered through a variety of Satisfaction
Surveys every year. Satisfaction Surveys are sent to the schools
(targeting the teachers, counsellors, and students), to the participating
agencies, and to parents who have used the services. Information
is pooled together from all nine of the sites and District-wide
analyses are conducted and interpreted.
Overall, there have been tremendous benefits to the families and
children in Dallas as a result of the collaboration between the
schools and the participating agencies. The main benefit is the
accessibility of services to families and children. In addition,
a wide variety of services are provided and more needs can be
met.
Investigations regarding the specific benefits of the collaboration,
in terms of student attendance, student achievement, and parent
education are ongoing. Administrators, Center personnel, students,
and families tend to vary in their responses about the benefits
of integration. Overall, the responses are positive but it appears
as though school administrators feel the least positive about
the integration process (in comparison, to centre personnel, students,
and families).
Several problems with the collaboration were cited by the Coordinator
of the Office of Interagency Collaboration (OIC). First, the process
is very tedious and time consuming, both to initiate and to maintain.
In addition, embarking on this initiative was very difficult for
the District because no precedent existed for the collaboration.
Furthermore, the collaborating partners are from large entities,
which meant there are many boards of directors involved in the
governance, hence limiting the effectiveness of the collaboration.
At such a large level, many players regularly get told what to
do and this can result in the alienation of workers and agencies.
Lastly, the Dallas Independent School District is not a neutral
organization and some agencies will not get involved simply because
the DISD is the organizing body.
Funding continues to be an issue in the level of service offered
by the Youth and Family Centers. Many of the centers feel the
need for additional staff members in order to adequately meet
the needs of the students and communities they service. In addition,
space limitations are a concern at several of the sites and the
Pinkston site was described as deplorable, displeasing, and unsanitary
in a recent evaluation report (Bush, Alexander, Mitchell, &
Webster, 1997).
With respect to the collaborative effort itself, the Coordinator
of the OIC suggests that such an endeavour could be set up as
a non-profit initiative with agencies agreeing to collaborate
and provide services. He explains that at a smaller level, the
process could be more collaborative. In addition, a non-profit
organization is viewed as being neutral and credible and this
could result in the alienation of fewer agencies.
SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM
San Antonio, Texas
CONTEXT
J.T. Brackenridge Elementary in San Antonio, along with De Zavala
Elementary and Tafolla Middle School, was selected as one of the
four pilot sites for the School of the Future project. J.T. Brackenridge
services children and families who mainly live in Alazan-Apache
Courts, the oldest housing project in the United States. The children
come from families who are below the low income standard in the
U.S., with an average family income less than $5,000. The families
are predominantly Mexican-American, 80-90 percent are single-mother
families, and every student in the school qualifies for the free
lunch program. The area is characterized by a high level of crime
which includes child abuse, drive-by shootings, gang activities,
and drug use. In fact, the 78207 zip code has been established
as having the highest rates of juvenile crime and domestic violence
in the United States.
During the 1980s, a couple, one of whom was a teacher at J.T.
Brackenridge, started a social service agency in the neighbourhood.
They soon learned that the Hogg Foundation was looking for schools
in which to pioneer and fund a School of the Future project, involving
the integration of mental health and social services within schools.
The couple approached the Hogg Foundation for funding to begin
the School of the Future project at J.T. Brackenridge. The funding
was granted and one of the couple became the Project Coordinator
at the school.
When the School of the Future project started in 1990, there were
832 students in the school. Since then, two factors have led to
a substantial decrease in the number of students attending J.T.
Brackenridge (there are currently 550 students in the school).
First, the state of Texas began providing families with vouchers
so their children could attend private schools and, second, one-third
of the housing project where the children lived has been demolished.
However, new housing is being developed in the form of houses
instead of apartments and once these new homes are completed,
it is expected that the school will have 700-800 students. In
addition, some of the families who have sent their children to
private schools (through the state vouchers) found that the schools
were not "in-touch" with the children's needs and the
children were not getting the same quality of services there.
As a result, some of these families are now re-enrolling their
children at J.T. Brackenridge. The 550 students at J.T. Brackenridge
range from pre-kindergarten to grade five, and there are approximately
22 children per class.
When it was first conceptualized at J.T. Brackenridge, the School
of the Future Project had two main drives: A Parent Involvement
Program and the Provision of Mental Health and Social Services
at the school. During the 5-year pilot period, the program was
staffed with contractual therapists from a local mental health
agency and with practicum students in both Marriage and Family
Therapy and Social Work programs at Our Lady of the Lake University
and St. Mary's University. The Project Coordinator was extremely
committed to the Parent Involvement Program and engaged in a tremendous
amount of outreach in order to encourage parents to become actively
involved in the school. A conflict resolution and peer mediation
program was also started at the school.
Following the termination of the five-year funding from the Hogg
Foundation, the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD)
decided to continue funding the program. In addition, the school
was given the option to revise the composition of its counselling
staff and to utilize Title-1 funding (funding which is given to
schools for serving low income and at-risk children). The program
was re-named the Family Student Support Program (FSSP) and three
key personnel, who were to be supervised by the School Principal,
were hired. These new on-site personnel were a Campus Social Worker,
a Student Support Coordinator, and a Student Support Facilitator.
The Campus Social Worker was to provide social services, counselling,
therapy, faculty support (training and guidance), family services,
crisis intervention, and other related services. The Student Support
Coordinator was to provide the same services with more of a focus
on therapy and counselling. The Student Support Facilitator was
to facilitate all referrals to special education and other special
programs. In addition, a new Family Student Support Program Coordinator
was hired to help facilitate and oversee the implementation of
the FSSP on a district-wide level.
The transition of the program from the pilot to the current program
was challenging and difficult. The couple who had guided the program
from its inception, eventually left the program. In addition,
most of the new staff were new to a school setting. However, they
did possess a wide array of knowledge of community services and
brought with them varied experiences from mental health agencies,
child protective services, city programs, school-related programs,
and community agencies. The main goals of the post-pilot phase
School of the Future program, now the Family Student Support Program,
were as follows:
· to improve the physical and mental health of students and families;
· to increase positive interaction between family members and their children and to increase parent involvement in their children's education;
· to increase the number of available and affordable services for neighbourhood residents and to create a supportive school environment for students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community partners; and
· to improve the image of the school in the community and to integrate school and community activities.
A variety of services have been linked to J.T. Brackenridge since the inception of the School of the Future Project. These include the Hogar Program, the Transitions Program, Los Ninos Program, Mentoring Programs, a Conflict Resolution Program, an After-School Program, a Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program, and a Middle School Pals Program.
Hogar Program ("hogar" means "the home"
in Spanish)
This program was funded by Americorps, a national program which
employs people to work in needy areas in exchange for money to
go to college. The Hogar Program was in place from approximately
1990 until the end of last year. This program targeted families
with children aged 0-3 years. It provided support, training, pre-natal
care referrals, and baby formula to parents. There were 3 workers
provided for this program. At one point, the district was funding
BA and MA level university students for this, but the funding
was cut. This program was cut this year, probably because the
funding disappeared.
The Transitions Program
The program targets homeless families. "Homeless" also
refers to families who are living with other families. Funding
comes through the District and is provided by the McKinney Act.
A therapist, social worker, and coordinator are housed at the
school. They have space in classrooms which have been converted
into offices. The workers visit shelters, provide referrals, and
advocate for the homeless.
Mentoring Programs
Some of the large private businesses in the area allow their workers
to come to the school to provide tutoring for the children. A
specific grade-level is targeted for this program and professionals
come during the day. The businesses have also donated nice benches
to the school for this purpose. Some of the businesses involved
are an Energy Company, City Corp Bank, and Insurance Company USA.
Conflict Resolution Program
A conflict resolution program is implemented for approximately
20 children in a selected grade after school. Innercity Agency
provides this program.
After-School Care
The program runs from 3:00pm-6:00pm, and tutoring and computer
time are provided for the students. The workers are teachers from
the school and paraprofessionals. Funding is provided by the City
of San Antonio.
Los Ninos Program
Trainers from an agency situated 1/2 block away from the school
come in 1-2 days per week after school to implement a substance
abuse prevention program with the children. A specific grade-level
is targeted for the program and 10-20 children from this grade
are selected go participate for the year. Funding is provided
by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters
This program goes to the high schools and recruits/selects honour
students to be big brothers and sisters. The students come to
the school once per week after school and work on character development
with 10 children for half the year. A different 10 children are
selected for the second half of the year.
Middle School Pals
Students in grades 6-8 from the nearby middle school do mentoring,
reading, and tutoring with the students at J.T. Brackenridge.
INPUT
The initial funding for the program was provided by the Hogg Foundation
at $50,000 per year for five years. Other funding has been provided
by a variety of agencies and organizations at the District, city-wide,
state, and federal levels. More specifically, J.T. Brackenridge's
Hogar Program is funded by Americorps, the Transitions Program
is funded by the District through the McKinney Act, Los Ninos
Program is funded by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse, and the After-School Program is funded by the City of San
Antonio. In addition, various agencies and businesses donate their
services through programs such as the Conflict Resolution Program,
provided by the Innercity Agency and the Mentoring Programs, provided
by local private businesses.
Teachers at J.T. Brackenridge were initially very supportive of
the concept of the School of the Future Program. However, because
the program involved a tremendous amount of change, there was
also a great deal of apprehension on their part. For example,
with respect to the Parent Volunteer Program, teachers were somewhat
apprehensive about regularly having parents in their classrooms.
When Hogg Foundation funding had run out, a couple of agencies
(Metro Alliance and Communities Organized for Public Service)
got involved. They got parents to rally the district, and brought
in corporations to advocate to the school board to continue supporting
the School of the Future initiative.
PROCESS
Decisions regarding the integration of services at J.T. Brackenridge
are mainly made by the Campus Social Worker in consultation with
the school Principal, who has the final decision. According to
the Campus Social Worker, the Principal has demonstrated a great
deal of confidence in his ability to determine if an agency or
service is inappropriate for the students. Coordination of the
services occurs primarily through the Campus Social Worker, the
Student Support Coordinator, and the Therapist, who meet with
agencies, screen them for participation, discuss the needs of
the community, and review the curriculum for the service to be
provided. Agencies often approach the school to provide the services
and the school sometimes engages in outreach to recruit specific
services. However, the Campus Social Worker, the Coordinator,
and the Therapist are so overwhelmed with other duties that they
have little time to devote to outreach. According to the Social
Worker, there is no coordination and collaboration between the
agencies/services themselves; only between each agency and the
school. He suggests that more coordination probably needs to occur
but there is simply no time to facilitate this.
For the most part, there have been no power dynamic problems among
workers in the school ("we are all working for the same thing")
and interaction between professionals is positive. However, the
Campus Social Worker has encountered a conflict of interest with
his other role as coordinator of integrated services. For example,
he has found himself in the position of reporting teachers who
are harsh, rude, and somewhat abusive towards the children. This
has resulted in loss of their support for some of the programs
and changes he has attempted to implement. In addition, conflict
tends to arise when the Campus Social Worker is trying to bring
about change and he sometimes finds himself unsupported in these
endeavours.
With respect to resolving disputes with teachers, the Campus Social
Worker adheres to a personal rule that one must always attempt
to speak to the person about the concern twice. He explains that
this takes into account the possibility that someone has had a
bad day or was too busy with another commitment to discuss the
problem when approached the first time. After this, he insists
on providing the person with written documentation concerning
the conflict. The next step is to approach the Principal with
the concern. However, the Campus Social Worker admits that he
will sometimes let things go if he needs that teacher's cooperation
for something else within the school. He explains that it is important
for him to choose his battles wisely and that sometimes, he must
ignore a particular concern or conflict with a teacher in order
to maintain support for an important initiative.
With respect to the agencies involved, the Campus Social Worker
always discusses his concerns with the Principal. He then approaches
the agency workers and expresses his concerns. The next step may
involve writing a letter to the agency to express his concerns
further. If the problem remains unresolved, he and the Principal
may make the decision to terminate the collaboration and let the
agency go. They have not had to let any agency go, thus far. However,
a situation did arise where an agency was circulating a research
survey without having first informed the school. In addition,
they wanted information from the school which could not be provided
because of confidentiality issues. The school asked that the agency
stop circulating the survey and instead, worked with the agency
to help them get the information they wanted. They suggested that
the agency draft a letter to the families which requested permission
to do home visits. The students brought the permission letters
back to the school and the school then forwarded these to the
agency. Although such a process can be very time consuming, the
cooperation between the agency and the school is seen as beneficial
to the integration of services.
One major challenge which faces the school with respect to the
integration of services is the transitory involvement of some
of the service providers. Agencies and businesses may provide
services for one cycle or one year but may choose not to make
a long-term commitment. The lack of continuity and consistency
impacts on the children's ability to continuously develop their
relatedness skills and make long-lasting connections to the adults
providing the services. The Campus Social Worker explains that
"it's great that we get agencies in, but it doesn't have
the same effect as having the relationship and trust a consistent
person in the school is able to build with the kids. Ideally,
we need more consistency for some of the critical services."
PRODUCT
There is currently no formal evaluation process in place to evaluate
the benefits of the Family Student Support Program (FSSP) at J.T.
Brackenridge. The Coordinator of the FSSP at the District level
has gathered information from the school for the past four years
with the goal of investigating any correlations between a student's
grades and the services that the student is receiving. However,
the school has yet to be informed of any results. There is concern
that statistics on which to assess their success does not exist.
At this point, the school evaluates based on what it sees and
what the students say in order to determine whether or not an
agency should return. The Campus Social Worker has strongly recommended
that an outside agency do the research and evaluation and the
school has asked the universities to engage in such research.
However, the universities say that professors would be needed
to supervise students pursuing this research and maintain that
they would have to charge for this service. They suggest that
the school solicit funding which would help pay for this supervision.
In the past five years, a few PhD programs have been initiated
at the universities and although these programs are not heavily
grounded in research, there is hope that students may become involved
in evaluation efforts at J.T. Brackenridge for dissertation research
purposes.
A number of benefits of integration have been identified at J.T.
Brackenridge Elementary. First, there is a major benefit to having
social workers in the school because the children have the opportunity
to build a relationship with an adult who is consistently present
in their lives. The children know that there is someone they can
turn to when something negative or positive happens in their family
and many of them do not have someone else to fill this role.
A second major benefit is the learning that develops on the part
of the social workers and teachers. By being in the school, the
social workers are forced to become more aware of how the school
system works. They are able to witness the obstacles and challenges
the teachers face first hand. Conversely, the teachers have become
more sensitive and aware of the problems the children have through
interaction with the social workers. If a teacher holds the opinion
that "I don't want to know what problems the children have,
it's my job to teach them", he/she is less likely to feel
this way after hearing from the social worker that the child was
abused last night.
Additional benefits of the integration are related to the services
being provided by the numerous agencies and businesses involved.
The children are benefitting from the attention they are receiving
through the various programs and are using the terminology they
are learning from the services. For example, children can be heard
making comments such as "I have good self-esteem".
The major challenge to the integration of services at J.T. Brackenridge
has been the lack of financial support. The Campus Social Worker
remarked, "I have a potential caseload of 550 kids (ie. the
entire school). This causes major stress. The stress is not due
to the types of problems presented, but to the amount you have
to do. A social worker per grade would be more effective".
Money is wasted when it is not used (i.e., when it is left over
at the end of the year). With proper planning, this money could
be used to fund someone else, even part-time. Furthermore, the
school is always lacking financial support and yet, money seems
to appear when a cause is important enough to the District. An
example of this is the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)
that all the children have to take. As explained in the interview,
money appeared to come out of nowhere in order to hire consultants
and get resources in order to teach this test. He suggests that
"if someone would say that social workers are important enough,
I imagine that the funding would miraculously appear. The bottom
line for schools is academics. If you can't show that what you're
doing is benefitting academically, you won't get the funding.
You have to show fast results."
Improvement in the delivery of services for students at J.T. Brackenridge
is contingent upon the provision of more staff. One related suggestion
is to employ people who are teachers/case workers. These individuals
could teach for half the day and do case work and home visits
for the other half of the day, allowing them to be better informed
about the challenges facing the students in their classrooms.
In addition, it is recommended that agencies are ahead of schools
in terms of recognizing the need to provide services. An increased
number of parents and a strong administrator on the board are
needed to advocate for these services in schools. A final suggestion
for the future involves the need to evaluate and document more
in order to demonstrate the effects of integration. Focus group
interviews and feedback from parents and older students who have
since left the school, are recommended.
Overall, however, the Campus Social Worker has a positive outlook
on the provision of mental health and social services through
J.T. Brackenridge Elementary. He states that "the school
is the perfect place to do services. We're right in the school
so we don't have to chase down clients. The kids are here every
day and we can just pull them right out of class. I am hoping
that this will happen more and more in schools. Administrators
are becoming more aware in the district."
EDUCATION, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION PROJECT
(PROGETTO EDUCATIVO E DI PREVENZIONE PRIMARIA E SECONDARIA)
Reggio Emilia, Italy
CONTEXT
The city of Reggio Emilia, situated in the province of Reggio
Emilia in northwest Italy, has a population of 438,500. Compared
to the rest of Italy, this province is characterized by its high
socio-economic status and advanced industrialization (comprised
mainly of small and medium sized enterprises). Further, Reggio
Emilia is recognized for the importance it places on the presence
of women in the workforce. This in turn contributes to the low
rate of unemployment in this region. This city is diverse in the
number and extent of social services available, and is recognized
world-wide for its innovative preschool educational practices.
The Education, Primary, and Secondary Prevention Project (herein
referred to as the Project) began as a result of changing social
conditions. For instance, emotional difficulties, psychological
violence, scholastic problems, the increasingly fragmented reality
of the family, and a large population of immigrant school-aged
students (primary and secondary) contributed to the rapidly changing
social climate of this area. The Project's aim is to enhance the
educational experience of students, with specific intervention
designed to combat disabling situations that are a result of these
new social realities.
This initiative focuses on developing networks among the various
services existing in a particular Territory and operates with
the belief that communication must be frequent between both traditional
agencies of socialization (schools and families) and less traditional
associations. Originally established in 1990 in Circoscrizione
IV, the Project has gradually expanded to support students aged
8 to 14. It is also now linked to the legal system (number 309
in 1990 and number 216 in 1998) to promote drug and crime prevention.
Two elements characterize this initiative: the Territory and Prevention.
The first step in the construction of the Project is the identification
of the Territory and an activation of the resources that the Territory
can deploy. Once the Territory has been identified, resources
available can be linked and reallocated. Both primary and secondary
prevention are the focus of intervention. Individual case plans
are developed that consider the children as an integral part of
a larger social and environmental context. The location of the
Project depends on the school; for example, the number of rooms
available at the school. The level of integrated service delivery
depends on the school and its willingness to restructure systemically
to work collaboratively with the partners of the Project. Specifically,
the goals of the Project are:
· to break the vicious circle of disabling conditions,
· to help with the evolution of the person and of the group,
· to increase involvement of adults/guardians with youth,
· to build collaborative relationships based on trust and respect,
· to research the potential of children,
· to comprehend and celebrate the norms of the different cultures represented in the school and in the community, and
· to support school-based competencies.
The services offered and coordinated through this Project are extensive and vary from case to case, but the focus on education remains constant. Those assigned as 'responsible' (i.e., Project Coordinators) to the school and to the services involved, develop an 'individual project' based on the needs of the student. For this reason, the Project Coordinator acts as a link among the services, the community, and the school. A special collaborative relationship exists between the Educational Group of the Territory and the Clinical and Social Psychologist. The term 'Educational Staff/Group' includes social workers, mediators, teachers, and any other individuals or groups involved in the education of children. The following example depicts how intervention by the Educational Group of the Territory is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of the student. This example concerns a nomadic child who has stolen from a store. The Educator from the Territory initiated conversation with the Judge involved and negotiated an alternative discipline strategy. These conversations resulted in enabling the student to attend the Educational Group of the Territory as opposed to serving a criminal sentence, and therefore, the learning needs of the student could be met simultaneously.
INPUT
Important to the success of this collaboration is low staff turn-over
of teachers in the schools. Currently, 13 people staff this Project,
specifically, one person linked to the Territory and another as
the Coordinator of the Project. The notion of one expert figure
is decreasing as an increasing number of educators have gradually
acquired more expertise in a specific area. Hence, the pool of
experts is increasing, thereby allowing responsibility to be shared.
The Project has always been supported, both financially and ideally,
by the Town Council of Reggio Emilia. Today, sixty percent of
the Project is financed by the Town Council of Reggio Emilia (the
Minister of the Family, the Minister of the Interni) and the remaining
is funded by the region of Emilia Romagna. These resources are
considered adequate. The Town Council institutionalized the Project
and has established indicators of quality. The collaborators involved
include:
· the Town Council administration, the Educational and Assistance services and the Centre for Families;
· different schools in the area;
· the Health Local Unit, Social Area of the Minors (area social dei Minori) , Neuro-psychiatry service for children, Clinical and Social psychological services;
· the Provincial Education Office, different primary and secondary schools, the Teacher's college;
· Oratories;
· the Social Prevention Centre (CPS);
· a project called POLO (on work orientation);
· the province - Polaris, Professional Orientation Service;
· the service centre called Prometeo - resources on immigration;
· the Emilia Romagna region; and
· the Headmastership of the council of the Minister - Minister for the Family and social business.
The teachers and educators involved were trained over a two year period. The focus of the training at the beginning of the Project was more narrowly defined. However, now it has expanded and evolved to incorporate issues surrounding relationship building among organizations. The general focus of the training is on educational communication; socialization; and systemic, global, and socially relevant intervention, for students and their families. Input from the family is viewed as paramount in the development of an 'individual plan'. Depending on the need, training can be organized once or twice a month and can also be facilitated by educational staff. Usually for this purpose, professors from the University of Bologna (for eg. professors of educational sciences and psychology) are frequently invited to deliver training in their field of expertise.
PROCESS
Meetings are organized at different levels. Meetings every year
with the Provincial Education Office are organized in order to
share information about the development of the Project. Annual
meetings are held with all the teachers and the educators involved,
and monthly meetings between the Principal of the school and the
coordinator of the Project are also organized. Moreover, in order
to analyze a case individually, meetings are planned regularly,
and as needed with families, teachers, and with educational staff.
The Project Coordinator also regularly meets with particular teachers
in order to create an 'individualized project' for the student
immediately after concerns for the students have been expressed.
The clients, usually referred to the Project by the school, generally
have learning challenges. A high percentage of these referrals
are immigrant students whose families have immigrated mainly from
the south Italy. The families' relationship with the Project vary
on a continuum from formal to informal. Intervention based on
informal relations and intervention are cited as more conducive
to affecting change. Intervention methods also differ. They include:
meeting at the students' home, meeting at the location of the
service, and telephone or written communication. The family is
also encouraged to be involved in the preparation and development
of an intervention.
In the last two years, the Project has evolved from being an instigator
linking services, to the position of working collaboratively with
those services in partnership to develop an 'individual plan'.
Social and clinical psychological services, Neuro-psychiatry,
the Centre of the Adult Education, the Centre of Social Prevention,
and the Centre for the Family are examples of new services that
have entered into partnership with the Project. Over the years,
the Project's relationship with the school has increasingly become
more interdependent and integrated. This is attributed partially
to the development of common goals shared among each partner of
the Project and the school.
All the services involved are linked to the school and the school
is therefore considered central to the Project. Originally, the
aim of the Project was collaboration, where each partnering agency
did their respective job independently without any meaningful
structural change in the delivery of services. However, this approach
was not extremely effective as it did not fully meet the needs
of the community and the demands introduced as a result of the
changing social conditions of this region. Distinct approaches
to service delivery increased levels of confrontation among service
providers and administrators on technical and cultural issues.
These conflict- inducing confrontations are seen as positive and
necessary responses, needed to provoke growth. Conflicts are handled
by maintaining a focus on the child, studying the student's case,
and creating an 'individualized plan' to break the cycle of disabling
situations.
Trust is an important factor in the success of this Project, especially
among the Project staff and the Principal of the school, who originally
had authority over final decisions and resource allocation. Development
and refinement of the Project have empowered teachers to be responsible
in the execution of tasks and decision-making. Regular communication,
with practical and concrete information that is readily available
and accessible for all stakeholders, was cited as critical to
the relationship and trust building processes. Many professional
groups, each with their own orientations and approaches to service
delivery are involved with the Project. Hence, as a lesson learned,
it is necessary to build an environment that is void of cultural
prejudices and that is conducive to being open to alternative
viewpoints. Relationships and trust are also nurtured with increased
inter-disciplinary contact.
PRODUCT
Restructuring systems of service delivery and interpersonal relationships
among service providers are directly related to, and reflective
of, the changes in the social condition of Reggio Emilia. Services
that were formerly self-centered, now work interdependently with
each other. Underlying this shift is an awareness of the scope
and limitations of each service and the benefits of combining
resources and organizing a network among the various services.
Today, the aim has moved beyond working collaboratively, to creating
'individual plans' for students that are case specific, and that
are not limited by defined responsibility. Hence, a shift from
developing collaborative relations to including shared responsibility
is evidenced.
A similar service does not exist elsewhere in Italy, and for this
reason it is difficult to compare this Project with any other.
Thus, this service uniquely documents changes in, and benefits
to, the student and the school's ability to deal with the changing
social reality. The success of the service is measured by the
results of the child's overall progress. Moreover, the work done
by the student outside the school is evaluated at the end of the
year. These developments are seen as indicative of the changes
in this exemplary school's approach to education. Given the Project's
success, there is a willingness to extend this effort in order
to establish stronger and more extensive links between communities
and schools.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
FINDINGS
This study yielded some potentially important findings regarding characteristics of mature attempts to link schools with health and social services. These results are subsumed under the headings goals, structure, evolution, resources, and power.
Goals
Although no one model of school-linked services exists, a consistent
finding in all the exemplary programs reviewed was that they were
all explicitly child centered. This is in keeping with the assertion
that to integrate a program you must have an integrating idea.
In the cases presented here a wholistic child-centred focus was
consistently evident. Increasing the educability and improving
the life chances of children were the general aims of the integration
efforts.These goals provided a dual focus for both service delivery
and system of service delivery improvements. The former provided
a tangible and concrete day-to-day feedback, while the latter
was more abstract and unavailable to assess. These two dimensions
have differential appeal to managers and front line workers. The
more abstract goal, the implementation of policy, was the focus
of managers. In contrast, front line workers sought input around
whether or not their collaborative efforts had paid off in terms
of improved service for children and their families.
None of the services reviewed were mandated. That is, all were
formed on a voluntary basis. Moreover, both institutional and
community based programs were originally impelled by groups outside
of schools.
Structure
Structure refers to the organizational forms by which schools
are linked to health and social services. These forms both illustrate
and illuminate the persisting question, "if school-linked
services are such a good idea, why is it so difficult to achieve?".
The preceding case presentations suggest that even in mature school
linking structures, issues of funding, turf, and autonomy remain
tenacious and pervasive. Crowson and Boyd (1993) point to the
need for the creation of an institutional climate that will be
supportive of linking efforts. Leadership and trust are both personal
and organizational qualities that need to be addressed in creating
the kind of climate that will enable integration to catch fire.
As they argue, "people cannot be separated from the 'iron
cages' of their separate employing organizations". Evident
in the cases reviewed here are the policies and funding opportunities
that make organizations susceptible to change. Also evident is
the use of the new academic organizational knowledge base now
available in this area (Morgan, 1998).
School linking tends to take on one of three organizational forms,
a ring, spoke, or spiral. Some linking arrangements involve agencies
and individuals sharing common goals that each work on collaboratively.
Problems are shared and they tend to have impact on all participants.
This organizational form is like a ring or a circle, involving
frequent and intense interaction. A substantially different form
of linking is spoke-like interactions that have a primary agency
acting as a hub to connect other agencies. These agencies interact
with one another as specific needs arise to form spokes. These
spokes are often coordinated to meet shared goals. Spiral organizations
have multiple services that cohabit in the school. In time they
may become absorbed by the larger system. An important example
of this is day care, which may have arisen through a social service
agency, but which comes under the control of a school.
In general, state level programs tend to be like rings, and local
level programs are more like spokes. The implication of this observation
is that large top-down programs tend to function best as rings
and smaller, service-focused programs work best as spokes (i.e.
as small, problem- focused dyads).
Evolution
Our third generation programs showed evidence of progressive change.
Moreover, in keeping with modern perspectives on development,
these changes were not linear. Multiple paths, along with sidetracks
and regressions, were evident. Context played a major role in
shaping the emergence of organizational forms. Funding and governance
changes caused disruptions and often transformations. The rate
and pace of changes often hinged on political-ideological events
and alterations in physical environments.
Guidance through the implementation phase of program development
was also extremely important in shaping what organizational forms
emerged. This period was often underestimated in terms of the
length of time needed and the amount of effort that would be required.
These features highlight the need for effective leadership by
both management and service providers.
Resources
Leadership along with funding must be counted as program resources.
Almost all forms of school linking recognize the importance of
community/business, political, educational, and service leaders.
Moreover, the extremely important involvement of families often
appears as part of community leadership. Consequently, leadership
appears to be intimately related to financial support. Business,
government, and foundation financial resources result from an
array of partnerships that are expressed through leaders.
Power
Power is rarely shared. Strong leadership consistently plays a
role in the maintenance and evolution of programs. School principals
play a crucial role by virtue of their role authority. Rarely
was the ball for integrating services picked up and run by schools.
Most initiatives for the linking of services occur through the
instigation of outside agencies.
These leaders tend to be well experienced professionals who guide
the linking efforts with their own visions, zeal, understandings,
passion, and knowledge. Three types of leadership are evident:
The Wheeler/Dealers, Paternal/Maternal, and Democratic. The Wheeler/Dealer
is usually there at the beginning of the program and then fades
into the background. He/She often continues to play a major 'behind
the scenes' role. The Paternal/Maternal leader is usually a community
member that is the head of a family foundation or a retired business
executive. The Democratic leader is usually a government official
or legislator with a particular interest in reform or educational
or community systems change.
CONCLUSION
This final section will highlight emerging themes, trends,
and issues that have arisen from the previously reviewed cases.
This discussion will be grounded in lessons learned from these
exemplary programs. Lessons learned from these sustained efforts
will be framed in terms of facilitators to success.
In examining program rationales three developments consistently
provide program impetus. The first is the wholistic child-centred
view that has come to dominate thinking in education and human
development. Second, is the fruit of numerous long term studies
that show the multiplicity of paths to positive life outcomes.
Third, is an expanded definition of risk that incorporates both
personal and societal features. Each of these developments highlights
the importance of seeing problems in living as complex and in
need of supports and services that are at the same time multifaceted
and coordinated. School-linked programs that are effective are
the product of service offerings, specific personal needs, and
local conditions. Consequently, no one preferable model of service
delivery has emerged. Rather, innovative school-linked initiatives
illustrate the dynamic nature of education and human service delivery.
This report's examination of relatively mature programs has enabled
us to discern evolutionary changes as these undertakings have
taken hold in schools. Most important among these changes is a
shift from an emphasis on risk to protective factors, a shift
from focusing on negative personal and environmental features
to inherently more positive achievements and strengths. These
shifts can be seen in a change in focus expressed in describing
children in terms of promise as opposed to risk.
Funding changes have created a new mind set for many programs.
Moving beyond a pilot or demonstration phase has grounded many
providers and facilitated their becoming a school fixture. Funding
is often as eclectic as the programs themselves. This is both
a result and benefit of greater cooperation between schools, other
services, and funding sources. Most programs began as foundation
or privately funded initiatives and moved to more secure government
support.
Through years of internal and external evaluation, constant justification,
and intense competition these programs have become more able to
articulate their practice visions and service delivery models.
In many cases this has made it possible for more recent growth
to be more purposive and coherent instead of a patchwork of opportunistic
add ons.
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PARTICIPANTS, KEY INFORMANTS AND RESOURCE LIST
FIVE STATE INITIATIVES FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS
Mark Weist
Director
Center for School Mental Health Assistance
Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland at Baltimore
680 West Lexington Street, 10th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland
21201-1570
phone: (410) 706-0980
fax: (410) 706-0984
e-mail: Mweist@umpsy.ab.umd.edu
web: http://csmha.ab.umd.edu
Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor
Co-Directors
School Mental Health Project at UCLA
Center for Mental Health in Schools
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, California
90024-1563
phone: (310) 825-3634
e-mail: smhp@ucla.edu
web: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
Perry Nelson
Project Coordinator
School Mental Health Project at UCLA
Center for Mental Health in Schools
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, California
90024-1563
phone: (310) 825-3634
fax:
e-mail: smhp@ucla.edu
web: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
THE INTEGRATED RESOURCES IN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE (IRIS)
Frankfort, Kentucky
Beverly Phillips
Commonwealth Coordinator
The Integrated Resources In Schools Initiative (IRIS)
C/o DMH, 275 E. Main Street
Frankfort, KY
40621
phone: (502) 564-7610
fax: (502) 564-9010
E-mail: blphillips@mail.state.ky.us
Debbie Haley
Family Connections Coordinator
Foust Elementary
601 Foust Avenue
Owensboro, KY
Phone: (502) 686-1114/1125
SCHOOL-LINKED SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROJECT
Maine
Michel Lahti
State Project Coordinator
School-Linked Mental Health Project
University of Southern Maine
295 Water Street, 2nd Floor
Augusta, ME
04330
phone: (207) 626-5274
fax: (207) 626-5210
e-mail: michel.lahti@state.me.us
Cindy Flye
Student Health Center Coordinator
Maranacook Student Health Center
Community School District #10, Maranacook Community School
P.O. Box 177
Readfield, ME 04355
Phone: (207) 685-4923 x318
Fax: (207) 685-9597
e-mail: Flyec@MCS-FS.mcs.csd10.k12.me.us
Dr. John Yasenchak
Clinical Supervisor and Program Director, Counseling Services,
Penobscot Nation Health Department
5 River Road
Indian Island, ME
04468
phone: (207) 827-6101
fax: (207) 827-5022
e-mail: jyasen@pnhd.nashville.his.gov
THE CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
Washington Heights Community School, New York, New York
Pete Moses
Associate Executive Director
The Children's Aid Society
105 East 22nd Street
New York, New York
10010
Phone: (212) 949-4936
Fax: (212) 477-3705
Web: http://www.ed.gov.pubs
Richard Negron
Children's Aid Society Technical Assistance Center, IS 218
4600 Broadway
New York, NY
10040
phone: (212) 569-2880
fax: (212) 544-7609
TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTER FOR THE EDUCATION OF
IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
CENTER DE FORMATION ET INFORMATION POUR LA SCOLARISATION
DES ENFANTS DES MIGRANTS (C.E.F.I.S.E.M.)
Montpellier, France
Philippe Quentin
Coordinator of the CEFISEM of Montpellier
Phone number: office: 0467915007 // 0467618303 /04679150011
Fax number: office: 0467618312 // 0467914953
pquentin@ac-montpellier.fr /philippe.quentin@wanadoo.fr
CEFISEM, Rectorat
31 rue de l'Université,
34064 Montpellier CEDEX 2
THE URBAN LEARNING CENTERS
A NEW AMERICAN SCHOOLS DESIGN
Los Angeles, California
Greta Pruitt
Director
Urban Learning Centers
Los Angeles Educational Partnership
315 West 9th Street, Suite 110
Los Angeles, California
90015
phone: (213) 622-5237
fax: (213) 629-5288
e-mail: gpruitt@lalc.k12.ca.us
Karen V. Bading
Organizational Development Consultant
2010 Fair Oaks Avenue
South Pasadena, California
91030
phone: (626) 799-7659
fax: (626) 799-7055
e-mail: KVBading@AOL.com
Howard Lappin
Principal
Foshay Learning Center
3751 S. Harvard Blvd.
Los Angeles, California
90018
phone: (323) 735-0241
fax: (323) 733-2120
Jack Baumann
Corona Avenue Elementary School
3825 Bell Avenue
Bell, California
90201
phone: (323) 771-6667
email: jbaumann@lalc.k12.ca.us
web: http://www.corona.bell.k12.ca.us
Tim Pruitt
Communication Specialist
New American Schools Development Corporation
1000 Wilson Blvd., Suite 2710
Arlington, VA
22209
phone: (203) 908-9500
DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
OFFICE OF INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION
YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTERS
Dallas, Texas
Truman Thomas
Coordinator
Office of Interagency Collaborations
Youth and Family Centers
phone: (214) 951-8669
fax: (214) 951-9035
Dr. Wayne Holtzman
President
Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
Lake Austin Center, 4th Floor
3001 Lake Austin Boulevard
Austin, Texas
78703-4200
phone: (512) 471-5041
fax: (512) 471-9608
SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM
San Antonio, Texas
Fred Cardenas, Campus Social Worker
Family Student Support Program
J.T. Brackenridge Elementary
1214 Guadalupe
San Antonio, Texas
78207
Phone: (210) 224-4916
Fax: (210) 224-4933
EDUCATION, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION PROJECT
(PROGETTO EDUCATIVO E DI PREVENZIONE PRIMARIA E SECONDARIA)
Reggio Emilia, Italy
Pierino Nasuti
Project director
Comune di Reggio Emilia
Assessorato Educazione e Formazione Università
Via Guido da Castello 12
421000 Reggio Emilia
Italy
Phone number: +39 0522 456422
Fax number: +39 0522 456198
RUE
EUROPEAN HUMAN RESOURCES
RISORSE UMANE EUROPEE
Walter De Liva
Coordinator of the project on the social integration and the cultural
difference of the foreign minors and their families in the province
of Udine
c/o ITI "A. Malignani", Viale L. Da Vinci 10
33100 Udine (Italy)
Phone : +39 0432 46361
Fax: +39 0432 545420
e-mail rue@malignani.ud.it
URL: htt://www.rue.it
5 ACTION PLAN
CSDM COMMISSION SCOLAIRE DE MONTRÉAL
Claire Tremblay
Conseillère pédagogique en Coordination et développement
pour l'intervention en milieu defavorisé de la CSDM Commission
Scolaire de Montréal
Service des ressources éducatives
3737, Rue Sherbrooke Est
Montréal, Québec
H1X 3B3
Phone #: 514/ 596-6398
Fax# : 514 / 596-6340
tremblaycl@csam.qc.ca
Marie Martin Dimitri
50 30 Rue Jeanno-Mance
Montréal, Québec
H2V 4J8
Phone # 514/ 596-4195
Madame Henrichon
60-80 Esplanade
Montréal, Québec
H2YT 3A3
Phone # 514/ 596-3379
JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES
Kimberely Rinehard
Senior Liaison
Jewish Family and Children's Services
School Partnership Project
1600 Scott Street
San Francisco, California
94115
phone: (415) 561-1208
HEALTHY START AND AFTER-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Pat Rainey
Consultant
Healthy Start and After-School Partnerships Office
721 Capitol Mall, Room 556
Sacramento, California
95814
phone: (916) 657-3558
Susan Eberhart
Coordinator
Sheridan Way Elementary School
573 Sheridan Way
Ventura, California
93001
phone: (805) 641-5081
fax: (805) 641-5392