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Coordination of Services Teams: Catalysts for Transforming Schools into Centers of Wellness

Sun, April 27, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (11:40am to 1:10pm MDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 105

Abstract

Background
To meet the needs of youth, schools offer school-based mental health (SBMH) services. SMBH services are arguably more accessible, convenient, and affordable than external mental health services (Kern et al., 2017). Successful implementation of SBMH requires interprofessional collaboration of a nature not clearly defined in the literature (Borg & Drange, 2019; Mellin et al., 2011; Weist et al., 2012). One model of interprofessional collaboration is through a Coordination of Services Team (COST). In a report published by the Learning Policy Institute, COST is defined as a systematic process aiming to improve referral processes for identifying students in need of additional support (Klevan et al., 2023). COST is widely discussed as an element of SBMH services, and promoted as important, without a clear articulation of the benefits.

Objectives
The perceived benefits of COSTs have not been researched empirically. This study is conducted in the context of a county-wide effort to support the use of COST at school sites, as part of a larger SBMH initiative. In the “Schools as Centers of Wellness” model, a county office of education (COE) places clinicians in schools, who increase access to clinical services and work closely with school staff to facilitate COST. In this paper authors investigated the following research question: What are the perceived benefits of COST?

Method
This embedded case study was conducted in the context of a research-practice partnership (RPP) between the COE and a large university. RPP members conducted semi-structured, hour-long group interviews via Zoom. One group interview was conducted with a team of clinical leaders (N=3) at the COE, who provided systems-level perspectives. Five group interviews were conducted with COST members (N=29) at participating schools in five different districts. The total sample (N=32) identified racially as: Latinx (41%), White (41%), Asian (9%), and Black (6%); and mostly female (78%). Professional roles represented by interviewed COST members included principal, assistant principal, mental health clinician, school counselor, social worker, community schools facilitator, family navigator, secretary, school psychologist, resource specialist program teacher, speech and language pathologist, and academic intervention specialist. Researchers engaged in an iterative coding process that was both inductive and deductive. Findings were generated through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), and were co-interpreted with RPP members.

Findings
Five themes were identified related to the perceived benefits of COST. Participants described how (1) COST builds a system that centers individual students’ experiences and connects them to appropriate interventions; (2) COST is a catalyst for transforming schools into ecosystems that cultivate safety and belonging; (3) COST facilitates trust, support, and community among school staff; (4) COST encourages a whole child perspective and combats deficit thinking; and (5) COST bridges silos to support students more holistically.

Significance
People engaged in COST believe that COST offers an opportunity for student-serving professionals to bridge silos and collaborate, catalyzing school-wide transformation into a healthier, safer, and more inclusive community. Coordinating services and recreating student support to be student-centered and strengths-based can enhance equity, prevention, and early intervention as part of SBMH services.

Authors