Bridging Research to Practice in School Mental Health |
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CHDI offers many opportunities for schools in Connecticut to support student mental health needs using a nationally recognized comprehensive school mental health framework. Last year, we helped bring several best practices for improving student outcomes into real-world settings through our work with 207 schools.
This year, in ongoing partnerships with the State Department of Education, Department of Children and Families, National Center for School Mental Health, and National Child Traumatic Stress Network, we will continue to provide schools with support for improving student outcomes through:
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Comprehensive School Mental Health (CSMH) assessment, planning, and system development (SHAPE, AWARE, and new State-funded CSMH initiatives)
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Best practice training for trauma screening in school settings (Trauma ScreenTIME)
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School-based group interventions for students who have experienced trauma (CBITS and BounceBack)
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Reducing school-based arrests and exclusionary discipline (SBDI)
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Learn more about these initiatives and opportunities for schools and districts in our one-page flyer or on our website. Schools can also contact Dr. Jamie LoCurto (locurto@uchc.edu) to inquire about participating in a CSMH initiative or accessing free technical assistance.
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Why Trauma Screening in Schools Makes Sense |
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In this video, experts explain why trauma screening in schools makes sense.
CHDI's free, online Trauma ScreenTIME Course helps school leaders & staff learn about trauma's effects on learning and develop screening programs.
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Best Practices in Mobile Response & Stabilization Services |
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@CHDICT Joined Instagram! |
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Please connect with us and help us share information about children’s behavioral health research, training opportunities, resources, and solutions.
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CT by the Numbers Spotlights CHDI's Issue Brief #86 |
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An excerpt from CHDI's "Making the Most of the Moment" Issue Brief 86 was published by CT by the Numbers. The article "Brief Interventions Can Improve Children's Behavioral Health Services" discusses a stepped-care approach that matches families to the appropriate service intensity, including brief and single-session interventions. Read the full Issue Brief here.
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New Issue Brief on Early Substance Use Care Coming Soon! |
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CHDI's next Issue Brief will discuss the role of outpatient behavioral health clinics in improving early substance use care for youth. Look for it in early February. |
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CHDI Welcome Two New Staff Members |
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Tasmina Chowdhury, Data Analyst
CHDI welcomes Tasmina Chowdhury as Data Analyst. In this role, she is responsible for analyzing data and producing reports for several initiatives and projects, including Trauma ScreenTIME, Workforce Development, and Evidence-Based Treatments. Prior to joining CHDI, she gained valuable experience in data analysis at the McSilver Institute for Poverty and Policy Research at New York University. Tasmina has a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
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Elaine Mancini, MA, Project Coordinator
CHDI welcomes Elaine Mancini, MA, as Project Coordinator for the School-Based Diversion Initiative, which works to reduce juvenile justice involvement among youth with behavioral health needs. In this role, Elaine will coordinate the implementation of SBDI in several schools and districts and support CHDI’s school mental health initiatives. Prior to joining CHDI, Elaine served as the director of school counseling at the high school level, ensuring the department met the needs of students in the academic, college/career preparation, and social/emotional domains. Elaine has also served as a certified school counselor at the middle and high school levels. Elaine earned her MA in School Counseling and BA in Psychology from Assumption College.
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Congratulations to Kayla & Rebekah Behan on their Promotions |
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Kayla Theriault, MPH, Senior Associate
Congratulations to Kayla Theriault, MPH, on her promotion to Senior Associate. In her new role, she will enhance CHDI’s mobile crisis reporting and assume greater responsibility for coaching states to improve their mobile crisis services through the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Quality Learning Collaborative (MRSS QLC). The MRSS QLC is a partnership between CHDI and the Innovations Institute at UConn School of Social work to help five states and one county build mobile response systems. Kayla joined CHDI in 2019 and, in a short time, has made significant contributions to our performance improvement work as a Data Analyst and Senior Data Analyst for Connecticut’s mobile crisis, SBDI, and care coordination programs. She earned her MPH in 2020, completed a thesis on predictors of multiple episodes of care in Mobile Crisis, and is part of the faculty of the MRSS QLC. Learn more about CHDI’s quality improvement work.
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Rebekah Behan, Senior Project Coordinator
Congratulations to Rebekah Behan on her promotion to Senior Project Coordinator. In her new role, Rebekah will assume greater responsibility for providing training, consultation, and project coordination support to schools and districts. Since joining CHDI in 2019, Rebekah has guided districts in implementing the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI), supported Project AWARE and other comprehensive school mental health initiatives, and played an instrumental role in developing CHDI’s Educate-SMART (School Mental Health Awareness and Response Training) online curriculum for educator workforce development. Rebekah also serves as the primary statewide technical assistance provider for the School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation (SHAPE) System. Contact Rebekah directly at behan@uchc.edu if your school or district is interested in a no-cost assessment of their school mental health needs and resources.
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CHDI Bids Farewell to Jessica Mahon |
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CHDI wishes Jessica Mahon well in her relocation to Florida. Jessica joined CHDI in 2020 as a Project Coordinator, where she supported the implementation and sustainability of multiple evidence-based treatments (EBT) and significantly contributed to various outpatient services for children. She enhanced Connecticut’s EBT credentialing and certification process and served as lead coordinator. Jessica also helped advance the work of CHDI's Committee on Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE). Jessica will continue to provide part-time support for our EBT initiatives during this transition.
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CHDI is Growing - Join Our Team! |
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CHDI is seeking candidates for the following positions.
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2023-2024 Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on one or more initiatives focused on improving children’s behavioral health in Connecticut.
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Child Health and Development Institute
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The CHDI logo is a registered trademark.
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