PSY652 Psychosocial Support for Children and Families Introduction PDF

PSY652 Psychosocial Support for Children and Families: DR. L. E. MICHALOPOULOU, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF Introduction SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY...

PSY652 Psychosocial Support for Children and Families: DR. L. E. MICHALOPOULOU, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF Introduction SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY OCTOBER 4 TH , 2023 What do we mean by “psychosocial support”? Mental health services υγείας (e.g., clinical therapeutic interventions) Targeted psychosocial support (e.g., basic supportive practices at the individual or family level) Empowerment at the societal and family level (e.g., use and activation of social networks) Taking into account social dimensions in the provision of services (e.g., services that are safe, socially acceptable and appropriate) Purgato et al. (2018) What do we mean by “psychosocial support”? It means that... We recognize children’s and adolescents’ multilevel needs as well as their rights to access services to ensure their wellbeing We put forth systematic efforts to protect them from negative societal consequences (e.g., economic crisis, environmental crisis, pandemics) We support and reinforce their resilience, their skills and abilities, and every strength that they demonstrate -> strengths’-based approach So, what will this class be about? Context Where do we find children (and their families)? What are their needs and how do we identify them? What are their strengths and existing supports? As psychologists, what tools and practices do we have to offer support? As psychologists, how do we select, design, and implement programs and efforts to support children and families?  The care continuum National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019) Basic Principles A child depends on its to satisfy their basic physiological and psychological needs A child’s family is the most powerful influence within their environment A child actively interacts/participates in shaping their environment A child’s functioning is determined by multiple and interactive factors A child’s current functioning is evaluated always in relation to their prior functioning levels Basic Principles In order to understand a child’s behavior, we need to examine the contexts (current and past) in which it is showcased A child tries to adjust and adapt to their environment independently of how “healthy” that environment is As the child develops, arguments, conflicts, and problems are inevitable -> we need to examine how the child responds to significant others and challenging situations What are students’ needs? Socio-emotional Behavioral Learning-related Challenges Issues Difficulties What are students’ needs? In 2019, it was estimated that one in seven adolescents experience mental disorders This amounts to an estimated 166 million adolescents (89 million boys and 77 million girls) boys and girls globally! The prevalence of mental health disorders in children and adolescents is almost 15% globally With the recognition that 50% of mental health disorders begin by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24, child and adolescent mental health has become a global priority https://data.unicef.org/resources/sowc-2021-dashboard-and-tables/ Bruha et al. (2018); Polanczyk et al. (2015); Unicef (n.d.) What are students’ needs? Unicef (n.d.) Link to education and schools Mental and behavioral wellness is directly linked to overall positive student achievement, school climate, high school graduation rates, and the prevention of risky behaviors, disciplinary incidents, and substance abuse These factors, in turn, are associated with such important life outcomes as improved interpersonal relationships, higher earnings, greater employment stability, and lower likelihood of involvement with the criminal justice system NASP (2015) Why the school? The school is typically the first and only place children, youth, and adolescents receive support Students were found to be 21 times more likely to visit school-based health centers for mental health concerns than community-based centers As such, schools have been identified as the natural and best setting for mental health prevention and treatment services and can provide comprehensive prevention and early intervention services for all students, including those with and without identified education disabilities For those students in need of more intensive services, school psychologists can help coordinate schoolbased services and community-based services to facilitate a wraparound system of care approach to support families Ali et al. (2019); Farmer et al. (2003); NASP (2015) School’s role The provision of multitiered, coordinated, culturally competent, and effective mental and behavioral health services for children Mental and behavioral health is not simply the absence of mental illness but also encompasses social, emotional, and behavioral health and the ability to cope with life’s challenges Schools play an integral role in promoting resiliency, wellness, school connectedness and in facilitating protective factors among students in collaboration with community partners (e.g., family service providers and mentors, community mental health centers, primary healthcare settings) NASP (2015) School psychologists’ role School psychologists are uniquely positioned in schools to facilitate the development, delivery, and monitoring of prompt, effective, and culturally responsive mental and behavioral health services of prevention and intervention “school psychologists are situated in real time in the biopsychosocial system where children spend 35 hours or more a week” Hughes & Minke, (2014),p. 29) NASP (2015) Tudge et al. (2022) School psychologists’ role School psychologists’ broadly focused preparation as academic, mental, and behavioral health service providers, coupled with their engagement in and familiarity with schools’ organizational and cultural contexts, equips them to play a primary role in multitiered and responsive school-based mental and behavioral health programs NASP (2015) Interprofessional collaboration Interprofessional/interdisciplinary collaboration refers to professionals from two or more disciplines working together in service provision Interagency collaboration (ICC) refers to when multiple professionals from different agencies or organizations collaborate in service provision across systems In IIC, individuals representing different disciplines (e.g., school psychology, pediatrics, social work) across agencies (e.g., schools, primary care, hospitals) collaborate in service provision (e.g., social, educational, behavioral, medical) Likely that these types of collaborations are the case for many school psychologists Example? McClain et al. (2022) Interprofessional collaboration The concept of team science has grown substantially over the last three decades and has become ubiquitous across several sectors including; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and healthcare (Hughes et al., 2016) With the growing influence in healthcare settings, team-based care has demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes, efficiency of care, and provider well-being and satisfaction Collaborative teaming can be more effective than individuals practicing in isolation as teams combine their diverse skills, expertise, and complementary capabilities; monitor one another to reduce errors; and adapt workloads as needed, including task-shifting in the face of workforce shortages Necessary school systems as they are tasked with serving an increasingly diverse and complex student population, necessitating expertise and input from multiple professionals McClain et al. (2022) Any Questions?