The Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and three other universities have been awarded a four-year, $10.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will launch the Mental Health Evaluation, Training, Research, and Innovation Center for Schools (METRICS), a national center aimed at scaling up the school-based mental health workforce of PK-12, social workers, school psychologists, school counselors, and other practitioners.
The Scanlan Center will organize and facilitate professional learning related to the METRICS initiative, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of California-Santa Barbara, and the University of South Florida.
The following is an excerpt from the University of Iowa College of Education article:
“Systems-level change is powered by collaboration and collectively leveraging expertise and resources,” says Allison Bruhn, professor of special education and Scanlan Center executive director. “That is why we are thrilled to partner with other institutions to build a stronger and more diverse school mental health workforce across the country. The work we have already done at the Scanlan Center, as well as the infrastructure we have built, are going to be critical to this venture.”
With robust professional learning programs already in place, the Scanlan Center is positioned to deliver training to support current and future school mental health providers not only in implementing evidence-based school mental health strategies and best practices, but also in cultivating a positive mental health culture within their districts and communities.
The trainings are set to roll out in Spring 2024 and will be offered via quarterly webinars and asynchronous online modules. School mental health professionals will engage in expert-led social-emotional-behavioral health sessions, including ECHO training for challenging behaviors; screening for suicide, trauma, and crisis; restorative practices; the dimensions of wellness; and building partnerships with families and community providers.