K-12 Education

Public, private, charter, and alternative schools in Palm Beach County

Levers of Change: Actors

School District of Palm Beach County Principals and School District Leadership

School Board of Palm Beach County Teachers

Birth to 22

School Health Advisory Council

Levers of Innovation: Actions

Quick Wins (QW) or Major Project (MP)

Universal

Ensure social-emotional learning at age appropriate levels, including self regulation, coping strategies, emotional intelligence, and peer relations (QW)

Provide middle school mental health prevention education (QW)

Provide high school mental health education and Mental Health First Aid training (QW). Expand training for teachers/staff in ACEs and trauma-informed approaches as well as socialemotional wellness (QW)

Selected

Ensure hiring of trained, licensed, experienced trauma therapists for school-based mental health (QW)

Build district-wide awareness, prevention, and intervention measures to reduce the potential of retraumatizing and triggering children with complex trauma in schools (QW), Ensure ACEs screening in schools with trained co-located trauma-experienced mental health professional (QW)

Call to Action:

Expand county-wide training for schools on ACEs and trauma-informed care, expand prevention strategies for children in high-risk communities, and provide co-located mental health services in every school.

All school staff and leadership need to have an awareness of the impact of ACEs and trauma on students, with specific strategies for addressing behaviors in the classroom Schools should be aware of trauma-informed hiring practices when selecting school-based behavioral health specialists, paying attention to level of expertise and training Schools in high-risk zip codes need more support - all children, especially PreK through 3rd grade, should receive classroom-based, trauma-informed strategies to develop core capabilities, particularly self-regulation skills

Schools should reduce barriers to receiving services through co-location of behavioral health specialists at all schools in Palm Beach County.