Behavioral Health in Education:
Resources and Opportunities (B-HERO) Technical Assistance Center
Mission
To engage K-12 Behavioral Health Resource Coordinators in training, technical assistance, and opportunities to facilitate connections.  
Vision
All school personnel will develop the knowledge and skills to support the health and wellbeing of every student and family. 
The Joys of Educating

There is a reason school personnel choose careers in the field of education. The work is constant, often thankless, and many school personnel tend to take on the burdens of their students and school communities as if they are their own. However, at the end of the day, working with students and making a difference in their lives is the most rewarding thing school personnel do, and working in education really is a joy! 

Each school year brings its own set of challenges as school personnel and school systems work in tandem to serve their students to the best of their ability, and some years come with more challenges than others. But schools exist because of students, and school personnel fill their roles to help their students grow and learn. Students impact the educational work and bring forth some of the biggest joys that school personnel experience. 
 
Tara Sundahl, a school counselor at Jim Hill Middle school in Minot, has a story of the Joys of Educating to share. You don’t want to miss this one! 
 
To submit your own story of the joys of educating, use our Flipgrid link here!
This Is Why We Do It
Student-Centered Focus 
We work in the field of education because the health and wellbeing of our students are our top priorities. But sometimes, students experience behavioral health challenges internally and may not know how to ask for help.  
PK-2 Approach


At the younger elementary school levels, school personnel can encourage students to find trusted adults for help. Reminding students that friends, family, and people within their community are there to help them when they need it is a great way to foster positive, trusting relationships. 

Those who work with Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade students can use Sesame Street’s videos on 
“Big Feelings” and Finding Comfort with Family and Friends to start the conversation about seeking help from people who care, and the downloadable Circle of Care activity is a great way for students to think about people in their communities who are always there when they are needed. 
7-12 Approach

At the upper, middle, and secondary levels, seeking out help from a trusted adult can be intimidating or come with an attached stigma. But one of the best ways for students to feel less alone is to encourage their peers to reach out to those who may be struggling in conversation.  
 
It may be tough for these peers to know what to say to begin the interaction, so Seize the Awkward has developed a four-step guide to engaging the mental health conversation with peers, starting with learning the signs of those who are struggling, providing sample conversation starters, and including instructions for what to do both during and after talking. See their website linked here for access to these resources for students looking to “seize the awkward' and start the conversation. 
Events
UPCOMING:

March 15, 5 – 6pm CDT 

Project Renew is hosting a Teacher Support Group including a short presentation on the importance of staying hopeful during disaster recovery and space for teachers to share and problem-solve current barriers. Event registration can be found here. 

March 15th and 17th, 6:30 – 8pm CDT 

Project Renew has created a safe space for students in grades 6 – 8 and 9 – 11 to share their struggles and successes in an online platform, where Project Renew will facilitate discussions and provide helpful, uplifting messages of hope for the future and coping skills to help students in the meantime. This series runs weekly until April 7th with 6-8th graders on Monday and 9-11th graders on Wednesday nights 
Grades 6 - 8
Monday Evenings 6:30 - 8PM
Grades 9 - 11
Wednesday Evenings 6:30 - 8PM
PAST:

March 3, 12:30 – 1pm CDT 

Mental Health minute is a brief, mid-week series on mental wellness provided by Project Renew. This week’s Minute was focused on Hope, with guest Cassie Skalicky discussing hope in disaster recovery, the role imagination plays in maintaining hope and optimism, and how to foster hope in oneself and others. For access to last week’s message, click here.  
Ready - Set - Share!
If you are no longer serving in the role of the Behavioral Health Resource Coordinator, know the name/email of the educator who is serving as the BHRC, or have transitioned to another school since Spring of 2019, please inform Melissa Spelchen via email at melissa.spelchen@k12.nd.us at your earliest convenience. 
 
Project Renew provides FREE & anonymous support services.
Call 701-223-1510 to talk with a trained counselor.