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National Community of Practice (COP)
on School Behavioral Health:
A network that bridges mental health and education
A mission of shared work and common messages
Multiple disciplines and perspectives represented
Partners include:
National: Federal agencies and organizations
State: TA Centers, State teams
Local Partners: Family groups and individuals.
Focus of Learning the Language
Community of Practice
Cross-system shared work:
Translating policy to practice
Aligning goals across agencies
Developing common indicators
Collaborative training efforts
Collecting State and/or local examples
Deepening understanding of roles
Building relationships
Bridging the Gap:
Resources for Effective
Communication and
Collaboration
Michael Valenti, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Pressley Ridge Schools
http://www.pressleyridge.org
Presentation Outline
Why is it important to use accessible language in
communications and collaboration?
What are some of the barriers that exist when we use
inaccessible language?
We’ll share three accessible (free) resources that can
help you improve your communications and
collaborations with stakeholders.
Accessible Language…
Makes ideas, concepts, and theories more relatable and
accessible.
Helps to ensure that the goals of service providers and
their clients are analogous.
Can foster improved relationships.
Nobody likes to be “talked down to!”
Ensures mutual understanding.
Using Accessible Language Can
Help To Bridge the Gap(s)
Between:
Research and practice
Schools and mental
health service providers
Organizations and their
clients:
Families
Youth
Common Issues Surrounding
Communication and Collaboration
Communication
Words, jargon
Style
Collaboration
Exclusivity
Scheduling
Trust
Involving Families
Schools that develop strong partnerships with students’
families can expect improvements in school climate,
increased parent skills, and can also make teachers’
work easier (Epstein, 2009).
Efforts to increase parental involvement in a child’s
programming can result in:
Reduced behavior problems (Reinke, Splett, Robeson, &
Offutt, 2009)
Improved attendance (Ingram, Wolfe, & Lieberman, 2007)
Increased achievement (Fan & Chen, 2001)
Increased motivation to learn (Covington & Mueller, 2001)
How we communicate
with families can
improve their
engagement in their
children’s programming,
which in turn predicts
student outcomes
(Farrell & Collier, 2010).
Communication
The Importance of Effective
Communication with Families
Engagement/Outcomes
When Communications Break
Down…
Ineffective or confusing
communications can lead to
misunderstandings,
frustrations, and
disagreements.
Misconceptions about mental
health programs in schools
can lead to stakeholder
disengagement (Acosta et al,
2002).
Often, communication failures
result from:
A misunderstanding of what
was read
A misunderstanding of what
was heard
Written Communications
Given the widespread
use of written
communication materials
(letters, emails,
websites, pamphlets,
etc.), it’s important that
these materials are easy
to comprehend.
All communications with
the general public must
be written at an 8th
grade level (Office of
Inspector General,
2003).
The Issue
Over 90% of parents of K-12 students receive written
communications designed to disseminate information to
all parents (Herrold & O’Donnell, 2008).
Schools may assume that parents understand the
materials given to them…research confirms that many
parents do not (Bratlinger, 1987; Shriver & Kramer,
1993; Peretz et al, 2004).
Example: FERPA or HIPPA documentation in a parentstudent handbook.
Resource #1: Writing for the
People
How it can help:
1. Provides simple tips for
improving the
“readability” of your
writing.
2. Includes step-by-step
instructions for assessing
the grade level of your
writing using Microsoft
Word TM.
Resource #2: The University of
Pittsburgh’s SBBH Website
Download family-friendly podcasts,
brochures, tip sheets and more.
All documentation is written at an
8th grade level or below.
Each resource is designed to be
shared with families, children, and
staff members.
http:www.sbbh.pitt.edu
Effective Collaboration
Effective Collaboration
(Syracuse School of
Education, 2008):
Takes time
Is based on respect
Shares control and
decision making
Collaboration amongst
whom?
Collaboration
Successful collaboration
begins with a culture
that promotes shared
responsibility and
respect amongst all
parties.
How do we really know
what kind of culture
exists within our
organization? It starts
with self-reflection.
Do you:
View families as guests
or equals?
Set goals together?
Trust them?
Resource #3: Schools That Say
“Welcome” (STAR Center)
•
A brief self-evaluation tool for
school-community
collaborations.
•
How it can help:
1. Develops awareness of current
practices.
2. Lists practical strategies that
can be easily implemented.
3. Helps schools become more
conscious of their family and
community involvement
efforts.
Final Thoughts on
Communication and Collaboration
Avoid using technical language and jargon in your
communications – they only serve to muddle your
message.
In general, “less is more” in regards to written
communications.
Be flexible when considering strategies for increasing
family/community involvement in your program.
Don’t assume anything! If you are unsure about how
your stakeholders will respond to a certain
communication or initiative…ask them!
Questions?
Join Us!
Learning the Language Group
Get the Resources!
Please visit www.SharedWork.org:
Links to each of the resources mentioned in this webinar
can be found on the SharedWork.org website.
This webinar has been recorded. You can view the
presentation again, or share it with colleagues by visit the
website.
To access this content, you’ll need to create a free
account and join the Learning the Language practice
group under the National Community of Practice on
School Behavioral Health.
Learning the Language
Practice Group
Scott Bloom, LCSW
[email protected]
Sandy Schefkind, MS, OTR/L
[email protected]
References
Acosta, O.M., Tashman, N.A., Prodente, C., & Proescher, E. (2002).
Establishing successful school mental health programs:
Guidelines and recommendations. In Ghuman, H.S., Weist,
M.D., & Sarles, R.M. (Eds.), Providing Mental Health Services
to Youth Where They Are (pp. 57-74). New York, NY: BrunnerRoutledge.
Covington, M.V., & Mueller, K.J. (2001). Intrinsic versus extrinsic
motivation: An approach/avoidance reformulation. Educational
Psychology Review, 13,157-176.
Epstein, J.L. (2009). School, family, and community partnerships:
Caring for the children we share. In Epstein, J.L., Sanders,
M.G., Sheldon, S.B., Simon, B.S., Salinas, K.C., RodriguezJansorn, N., Van Voorhis, F.L., Martin, C.S., Thomas, B.G.,
Hutchins, D.J., & Williams, K.J. (Eds.), School, Family, and
Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (pp. 930). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students’
academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational
Psychology Review, 13, 1-22.
References
Farrell,. A.F., & Collier, M.A. (2010). School personnel’s perceptions
of family-school communication: A qualitative study.
Improving Schools, 13(4), 4-20.
Ingram, M., Wolfe, R.B., & Lieberman, J.M. (2007). The role of parents in
high-achieving schools serving low-income, at-risk populations.
Education and Urban Society, 39(4), 479-497.
Reinke, W.M., Splett, J.D., Robeson, E.N., & Offutt, C.A. (2009).
Combining school and family interventions for the prevention and
early intervention of disruptive behavior problems in children: A
public health perspective. Psychology in the Schools, 46, 33-43.
Support for Texas Academic Renewal (STAR). (n.d.).
Creating family Friendly Schools: A Guidebook for Trainers.
Retrieved October 31, 2011 from
http://www.idra.org/images/stories/Creating%20
Family%20Friendly%20Schools.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. (2003). Digest of education statistics
2002 (NGES Publication No. 2003-060). Washington, DG: National
Center for Education Statistics.