Promoting School Safety: A Comprehensive Emotional and Behavioral Health Model

• In Event: Mental Health and Law Enforcement School Safety Partnerships

Abstract

This presentation describes Year 1 implementation and school safety outcomes of a multi-year randomized controlled trial of the impact of the Comprehensive Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Response and Prevention Intervention (EBH-CRP) on school safety in a large, diverse school district in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region. Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, this study seeks to address a mounting concern, within this school district and schools across the nation, over the growing number of intense student emotional and behavioral incidents that cannot be quickly diffused, modified, or resolved and represent a significant risk to school safety. The EBH-CRP intervention is a comprehensive training, organization, and support protocol for school and community stakeholders aimed at increasing stakeholder competence in responding to and preventing student emotional and behavioral health crises using evidence-based, culturally competent, school-informed strategies that address emotional and behavioral health concerns across the continuum. This presentation describes the EBH-CRP intervention model and first year intervention implementation. In addition, preliminary results of school safety outcomes in intervention schools versus comparison schools and the impact of individual EBH- CRP intervention components are presented.

Authors

• Sharon Hoover Stephan, University of Maryland School of Medicine

• Jill Haak Bohnenkamp, University of Maryland School of Medicine

• Meghan Kozlowski, University of Maryland