Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Department of Education

School Mental Health

RIDE is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students and educators. School mental health includes prevention, early intervention, and targeted services for students provided by school mental health professionals such as school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors, as well as community partners. Not only does school mental health increase access to care for all students to receive the care that they need, but it also enhances the safe and supportive learning environments that all students should have access to.  

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community.” Much like physical health, mental health is a continuum from positive mental wellbeing to mental illness.  

Please use this page to learn more about RIDE’s school mental health initiatives and access resources related to a comprehensive school mental health system.   

RIDE supports LEAs by providing fiscal support and technical assistance related to school mental health.  

RIDE has several federal grants focused on school mental health initiatives. 

SAMHSA Project AWARE works with identified LEAs to provide professional development opportunities to increase mental health literacy as well as support and guidance to connect schools and communities with appropriate resources and services.  For more information, contact kristen.petrarca@ride.ri.gov.

USDOE School Mental Health Services grant will increase the number of qualified mental health service providers providing school based mental health services to students. Recruitment and retention strategies will be developed, implemented and evaluated.  Respecialization for community based providers interested in working in schools will also be explored. For more information, contact bianca.carreiro@ride.ri.gov or vanesa.morales@ride.ri.gov

SAMHSA Trauma Informed Services in Schools grant will provide intensive support to provide culturally relevant evidence-based trauma support services and mental health care using a multi-tiered system of support framework. For more information, please contact Ayisha.Globashere@ride.ri.gov 

Through these efforts, RIDE has implemented the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).  The purpose of this council is to advise RIDE and other partners on policies, programs, and practices that promote equitable access to high quality school and community-based mental health and related services for youth and their families.  Currently there are 39 organizations/LEA’s represented on the SHAC with over 60 members.  The SHAC was initially convened to provide guidance for Project AWARE. As the resources to support behavioral health in schools grew, the scope of the SHAC broadened to guide all funded behavioral health efforts described above.  For more information, contact schoolwellness@ride.ri.gov.

“Mental health is everyday all day.”

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

RIDE works to integrate mental health into a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). MTSS supports school mental health by emphasizing prevention and early intervention in a continuum layered of supports. These efforts help to build mental health literacy among faculty, staff, youth, and families, as well as provide early identification and tiered intervention as needed. 

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports is defined as a “comprehensive continuum of evidence-based, systemic practices to support a rapid response to students’ needs, with regular observation to facilitate data-based instructional decision-making.” In Rhode Island, MTSS serves as a framework for school improvement, ensuring that all students, including multilingual learners and those with Individual Education Plans, receive the necessary support for meeting academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes. MTSS emphasizes three tiers of support, with each advanced tier building on the other. 

A Comprehensive School Mental Health Framework in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports consists of: 

Tier 1: School-Wide Universal Supports 

In Tier 1, all students receive universal interventions. An example of a Tier 1 support is mental health literacy courses. 

Tier 2: Targeted Supports 

Tier 2 interventions are targeted supports for students unresponsive to Tier 1 practices. These supports, often conducted in groups, may include activities like social skills groups or lunch bunches. 

Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized Support 

Tier 3 interventions are provided to students who do not respond to Tier 2 interventions and may have ongoing, intensive needs. At this level, students receive intensive, individualized support, such as a referral to an outside mental health provider for those struggling with increased mental health needs. 

For more information related to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Rhode Island, please visit Bridge-RI.  

Educator Wellbeing

In Rhode Island we view educator wellbeing within three distinct experiences:, individual, collective, and systemic. The individual experience is what is going on within the individual and across multiple domains; physiological, cognitive, social, and emotional. These domains develop together and health and wellbeing in one domain bolster the health and wellbeing of others (Canto, et al., 2018). However, educator wellbeing moves beyond the individual experience. It also encompasses the collective and systemic experiences educators navigate. The individual well-being of educators intersects with and contributes to the overall health and effectiveness of the educational community, and vice versa. Collective educator wellbeing fosters a supportive and collaborative culture within schools and educational institutions that benefits not only individual educators but also students, families, and the broader community.     

Please visit our Educator Wellbeing Website to learn more about educator wellbeing in Rhode Island.  

Legislation, Policies, Guidelines, Regulations

Nathan Bruno and Jason Flatt Act of 2021 requires the training of teachers, students, & school personnel regarding suicide awareness and prevention, and the establishment of a conflict resolution process between teachers or school personnel and students. It requires each district to develop and adopt a student suicide prevention policy including prevention, intervention, and postvention. 

Please see the following resources to learn more about policies and professional development about suicide prevention to support implementation based off this legislation.  

The Trauma-Informed Schools Act, which was signed into law in June 2022, requires the establishment of a commission to assist the agency with the implementation of the statute. Details, including members of the commission, selection process, and Trauma-Informed Schools Commission responsibilities, can be found here.

Commission Documents

Meetings & Agendas:

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) convened the Learning Equity and Accelerated Pathways (LEAP) Task Force, including state and national leaders across a variety of education topics to explore how the State, school districts and schools can utilize Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) 2 and ESSER 3 funds to address the loss of instructional time by accelerating learning, and the impacts associated with the pandemic experience on the mental health of students and school community. The RIDE School Health Team also convenes the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to provide guidance and connections around several grant efforts related to school climate transformation and mental and behavioral health. 

One of the LEAP’s recommendations includes universal screening for academic and behavioral health needs, and specifies the following: 

a. Plan and allocate resources with a clear and focused priority for support and staffing related to every urban student, multilingual learner, and differently abled student in Rhode Island. 

b. Root all solutions in high-quality instructional materials, professional learning for educators, and positive, productive relationships with students. 

c. Center all actions from an orientation of cultural responsiveness and antiracism that promotes SEL and wellness. 

d. Focus on building and sustaining adult capacity to work in teams to support students holistically through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) lens. 

Universal screening is an assessment administered to the total population of students and generally screens/identifies key skills that are indicators of students’ broader skill set. Screening is typically quick and easy to administer and easy to score. Assessments used for screening purposes produce student outcome data that can inform decisions on school-wide and classroom practices, strategies and program structures, and groups of students in need of targeted interventions. Universal screening can be followed by targeted assessments to determine if additional targeted, individualized, or specialized intervention is necessary. 

Please see RIDE’S Universal Screening Guidance: Mental Health, Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health to learn more about best practices  

Implementing Universal SEB Screening Toolkit

DATA BASED DECISION MAKING 

NEEDS ASSESSMENT/IMPLEMENTATION CHECK LIST

COMMUNICATION AND SAMPLE CONSENT FORMS 

FAQS 

TEAMING 

RESOURCE MAPPING AND PARTNERSHIPS 

RIDE recognizes the critical role that school-based health providers (SBHPs) and school administrators play in ensuring the health and wellbeing of students. This guidance document provides information and recommendations for SBHPs and school administrators regarding the use of telemedicine in schools. Telemedicine can help to improve access to health care services and reduce barriers to care and may help to reduce student absenteeism. During the COVID pandemic, telemedicine played a critical role in providing access to mental health treatment for students and families. While telemedicine’s prevalence increased during the pandemic, it has been around as a practice before the pandemic and will continue to be used post-pandemic.

School Telemedicine Guidance

Additional Resources

  • SurveyWorks is Rhode Island’s annual school culture and climate survey, providing valuable perception feedback from students, educators, and families on how to improve Rhode Island Schools.  Feedback is collected on topics including belonging, relationships, teaching and learning, growth mindset, school climate, leadership, well-being and social emotional Learning.   
  • Youth Risk Behavior Survey is conducted through the RI Department of Health and assesses adolescent behavioral health risks of public school students in grades 6 through 12.  Results help policy makers, school administrators, social workers, and health personnel monitor risk behaviors of middle and high school students as well as to plan and improve youth based programs, develop effective interventions, and develop classroom lessons, school policies, and procedures geared towards reducing health risk behaviors among adolescents. 

Watch this module on Understanding the Mental and Emotional Well-Being of Youth, designed to help parents identify behavioral health issues and learn about resources

  • Mind Out Loud: Middle and High School Students boldly discussing mental health, Mind Out Loud inspires students to live authentic lives 
  • Trevor Project Resources for LGBTQ Youth - Access information preventing suicide and unique resources for youth.  Topics include well-being on Instagram and coping with anxiety and stress.   
  • Youth Pride RI is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of youth and young adults impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. 
  • JED Foundation Mental Health Resources - Provides essential information about common emotional health issues and shows teens and young adults how they can support one another, overcome challenges, and make a successful transition to adulthood.