RuralCommunity 01 02 2017 1485961928
Collaboration Within a Rural Community: Supports for Native American Students Sarah Wilson, Cecilia Lenz, Carly Saunders
Background and Research • According to the US Census Bureau: Arizona is ranked among the lowest (49th) in per pupil spending $7,528 per student • Student to counselor ratios are high: 881 to 1 in Arizona vs. 250 to 1 as recommended by ASCA • Rural communities have limited access to mental health services • Rates of mental illness and crisis are high among Native American populations: Native Americans experience serious psychological distress 1.5 times more than the general population • Native Americans use and abuse alcohol and other drugs at younger ages, and at higher rates, than all other ethnic groups.
Background and Research What we see in our area • Only two mental health counseling service providers in Winslow • Nearest providers located at least an hour away from town, even further for those located on the reservation • A prevalence of students in crisis: Where do we refer them? • Average wait time to receive counseling services through a service provider is often 1-2 months out
Process to Collaboration
Identify Issue or Goal
Assess Collaboration within your department and School
Identify Structures & Agencies within your community
Network and Relationship Building
Work out the Details
Implement
Assess and Build
Step 1: Identify Issue or Goal
• What is a challenge that you can identify in your school/community? • Do you have sources of data to identify areas of concern? • What patterns have you observed in your school (attendance, grades, mental health referrals, etc.)?
Step 2: Assess Collaboration within your Department and School • • • • •
•
Do you have the communication within your department to collaborate? Does your department share a common goal? Do you have administrative support? Are there other staff in the school to assist you? Are you a member of Advisory Committees or other committees within your school? Do you have a weekly/monthly department meeting or Planning and Learning Community (PLC)?
Step 3: Identify Structures & Agencies within your community • • • •
•
What communication methods are already working? Who are you already collaborating with? Who else in the community is already working together? What agencies/departments are already working with the population you are trying to impact? How can you ensure cultural competency through your collaboration?
Step 4: Network and Relationship Building • Are there platforms available in your community to network? • Are you attending any community events with networking opportunities?
• Can you organize an activity to network? • Can you invite community representatives to programs or events you already have planned?
Step 5: Work out the Details • Where/When will you meet? When do you need your goal accomplished? • How will the collaborative project be funded? • Do you need ROI’s or other documents in place to proceed? • Do you need approval from admin and/or your school board?
Step 6: Implement • What materials do you need to implement? • Who is the point of contact for different details? • Can you enlist the support of other staff in your school? • What role will other stakeholders play in implementation (parents, local businesses, tribe, etc.)?
Step 7: Assess and Build • When will you meet to review implementation of the program? • What was the result of the collaboration? • How will you measure effectiveness? • Who can you share results with? • What is the next step in building on your collaboration?
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 1.Identify Issue or Goal
• Increase in requests for Mental Health Counseling • Counselors increase in time needed for test prep (AZ Merit, ACT, PSAT, ASPIRE, ASVAB) • Many students were not receiving help until they came into the Counseling Office in crisis • Reaching out to parents to refer for outside counseling was difficult • Cultural and geographic barriers
2.Assess Collaboration within your department and School
• Discussion during weekly PLC • Gained administrative support through use of data • Department collaboration with Career Technician, GEAR UP Coordinator, Parent Liaison, Special Education Department
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 3.Identify Structures & Agencies within your community • Reviewed and updated community resource list • Reviewed referral procedures & created new referral document • Identified political structures and communication methods on Navajo and Hopi Reservation
4.Network and Relationship Building • • • •
Called local agencies to gather information about services and specialties Put “Ear to the Ground” in conversations with people across the community Use current relationships to your advantage- ASK! Attend community events
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 5.Work out the Details
• Planned meeting with Change Point Integrated Health • Received administrative approval to move forward • Refined referral process and gained understanding of ROI documents • Found time and space to have counseling on campus • Planned strategic student identification process
6. Implement • • • • • •
Scheduling Procedure Attendance Faxing over referrals Continuing communication Identifying Points of contact in cases of turnover Keeping up with changes
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 7.Assess and Build • Review process data on student referrals • Review communication methods • Continue building our network of community agencies • Expand initiatives to include prevention
Outcomes • • • •
Process Data: Campus Based Counseling # of Referrals: 16 # of students that have received services: 6 Improvements Observed: quicker service response time for Native American (wait time HIS), less crises for highest risk students, minimized responsive service times, increased communication between mental health providers and school, provided a streamlined approach to followup after a mental health crisis requiring emergency treatment (suicide ideation)
Example: CMHC (Community Mental Health Coalition) 1.Identify Issue or Goal
• S3 grant funding came to a close • Out-of-date resource and referral list • Need for more school involvement with students in community services – no formal way to communicate about these services • No unified system of distributing information about new grants upcoming events/trainings • Limited staff to manage grants
2.Assess Collaboration within your department and School
• Discussed possibility of starting a collaboration/general consensus of importance • Each counselor displayed willingness to assist in contacting agencies • Communicated regarding division of responsibilities
Example: CMHC 3.Identify Structures & Agencies within your community
• Initial meeting to get an in-depth understanding of scope of services • Reviewed previous collaboration and researched service lists online • (NARBHA, DES, DCS)
• Creative thinking with community partners
4.Network and Relationship Building
• Identify passionate people in group • Use current relationships to your advantageASK! • Attend agency and community events • Commitment to mutual give-and-take of collaboration
Example: CMHC 5. Work out the Details • Planned space/time and individually called, explained, and invited each agency • Formulated a goal for the group and designed agenda to meet this goal • Created Doodle poll to schedule future meetings • Created a WHS counseling services sheet to inform group of our current programs • Designated someone to type minutes and send meeting invitations
6. Implement • Continued communication • Delegated follow-up responsibilities • Continue making each agency feel they are a part of each goal • Keep up with changes
Example: CMHC 7.Assess and Build • Review communication methods • Continue building our network of community agencies • Expand initiatives to include prevention • Identified key leaders in district • Assessed collaboration through a survey
Outcomes • • • •
# of community agencies involved: 21 # of Coalition Members: 30 # of meetings so far: 5 Activities accomplished: Community Services Fair at PTC, Alternative Intervention Collaboration, Sexual Assault Response Training, Sharing intake paperwork to distribute more widely, Red Ribbon joint drug-free presentation, stronger partnership and communication between high school and sexual assault advocates, Potential Grant partnership (Peer Helpers), expanded Counseling Advisory Board, School Wide presentations on Suicide Prevention, Relationship Violence, and Substance Abuse
Outcomes- Building a Collaborative Culture • Building trust with surrounding communities • Creating a sense of openness- getting out of our “bubble” in order to create the idea of a “Community School” • Sharing Resources and partnering on future joint-funded projects • Dispelling small-town rumors in the community and educating about school policies • Mutual understanding of politics surrounding different areas of operation • Increased collaboration in Professional Development and Staff Training
Barriers • Time Constraints- Working with everyone’s schedules to meet at designated time • Spacing issues- Finding a meeting area large enough for everyone /RSVPs • Utilizing multiple grants - Assuring ideas can be utilized within constraints of grant • Different organizations have different stipulations to their grants • Culture barriers- Pushback for counseling services due to backgrounds/practices • Minimal agencies/organizations in rural communities • Parent communication/informing parents of community resources • Scheduling with administration
Activity – Scenario 1 • Multiple students seek their counselor regarding a student poll on Facebook. The poll addresses a select amount of students and has other students rate their attractiveness. You find out this is happening on school property, during school hours.
Activity – Scenario 2 • Quarter grades are in and you realize that 25% of your incoming freshman received a D or F in 2 or more classes
Activity – Scenario 3 • The first week back from Winter Break, 4 students were caught smoking marijuana in their car on campus. Two days later, 7 students are charged with underage drinking.
Activity – Scenario 4 • Over a month span, you realize you have had 2 students admit to suicidal ideation, 1 student admit to self-harm, and 4 students tell you they may be depressed. When consulting with other counselors, they have found a similar occurrence in their caseloads.
Sources • U.S. Census Bureau,Public Education Finances: 2014,G14-ASPEF,U.S. Government Printing Office,Washington, DC, 2016. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/libr ary/publications/2016/econ/g14-aspef.pdf • Mental Health America (2016). Native American Communities and Mental Health. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/nativ e-american-communities-and-mentalhealth#Source 3 • American School Counselor Association (2017). Press. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/press
Background and Research • According to the US Census Bureau: Arizona is ranked among the lowest (49th) in per pupil spending $7,528 per student • Student to counselor ratios are high: 881 to 1 in Arizona vs. 250 to 1 as recommended by ASCA • Rural communities have limited access to mental health services • Rates of mental illness and crisis are high among Native American populations: Native Americans experience serious psychological distress 1.5 times more than the general population • Native Americans use and abuse alcohol and other drugs at younger ages, and at higher rates, than all other ethnic groups.
Background and Research What we see in our area • Only two mental health counseling service providers in Winslow • Nearest providers located at least an hour away from town, even further for those located on the reservation • A prevalence of students in crisis: Where do we refer them? • Average wait time to receive counseling services through a service provider is often 1-2 months out
Process to Collaboration
Identify Issue or Goal
Assess Collaboration within your department and School
Identify Structures & Agencies within your community
Network and Relationship Building
Work out the Details
Implement
Assess and Build
Step 1: Identify Issue or Goal
• What is a challenge that you can identify in your school/community? • Do you have sources of data to identify areas of concern? • What patterns have you observed in your school (attendance, grades, mental health referrals, etc.)?
Step 2: Assess Collaboration within your Department and School • • • • •
•
Do you have the communication within your department to collaborate? Does your department share a common goal? Do you have administrative support? Are there other staff in the school to assist you? Are you a member of Advisory Committees or other committees within your school? Do you have a weekly/monthly department meeting or Planning and Learning Community (PLC)?
Step 3: Identify Structures & Agencies within your community • • • •
•
What communication methods are already working? Who are you already collaborating with? Who else in the community is already working together? What agencies/departments are already working with the population you are trying to impact? How can you ensure cultural competency through your collaboration?
Step 4: Network and Relationship Building • Are there platforms available in your community to network? • Are you attending any community events with networking opportunities?
• Can you organize an activity to network? • Can you invite community representatives to programs or events you already have planned?
Step 5: Work out the Details • Where/When will you meet? When do you need your goal accomplished? • How will the collaborative project be funded? • Do you need ROI’s or other documents in place to proceed? • Do you need approval from admin and/or your school board?
Step 6: Implement • What materials do you need to implement? • Who is the point of contact for different details? • Can you enlist the support of other staff in your school? • What role will other stakeholders play in implementation (parents, local businesses, tribe, etc.)?
Step 7: Assess and Build • When will you meet to review implementation of the program? • What was the result of the collaboration? • How will you measure effectiveness? • Who can you share results with? • What is the next step in building on your collaboration?
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 1.Identify Issue or Goal
• Increase in requests for Mental Health Counseling • Counselors increase in time needed for test prep (AZ Merit, ACT, PSAT, ASPIRE, ASVAB) • Many students were not receiving help until they came into the Counseling Office in crisis • Reaching out to parents to refer for outside counseling was difficult • Cultural and geographic barriers
2.Assess Collaboration within your department and School
• Discussion during weekly PLC • Gained administrative support through use of data • Department collaboration with Career Technician, GEAR UP Coordinator, Parent Liaison, Special Education Department
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 3.Identify Structures & Agencies within your community • Reviewed and updated community resource list • Reviewed referral procedures & created new referral document • Identified political structures and communication methods on Navajo and Hopi Reservation
4.Network and Relationship Building • • • •
Called local agencies to gather information about services and specialties Put “Ear to the Ground” in conversations with people across the community Use current relationships to your advantage- ASK! Attend community events
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 5.Work out the Details
• Planned meeting with Change Point Integrated Health • Received administrative approval to move forward • Refined referral process and gained understanding of ROI documents • Found time and space to have counseling on campus • Planned strategic student identification process
6. Implement • • • • • •
Scheduling Procedure Attendance Faxing over referrals Continuing communication Identifying Points of contact in cases of turnover Keeping up with changes
Example: Accessing Mental Health Counseling 7.Assess and Build • Review process data on student referrals • Review communication methods • Continue building our network of community agencies • Expand initiatives to include prevention
Outcomes • • • •
Process Data: Campus Based Counseling # of Referrals: 16 # of students that have received services: 6 Improvements Observed: quicker service response time for Native American (wait time HIS), less crises for highest risk students, minimized responsive service times, increased communication between mental health providers and school, provided a streamlined approach to followup after a mental health crisis requiring emergency treatment (suicide ideation)
Example: CMHC (Community Mental Health Coalition) 1.Identify Issue or Goal
• S3 grant funding came to a close • Out-of-date resource and referral list • Need for more school involvement with students in community services – no formal way to communicate about these services • No unified system of distributing information about new grants upcoming events/trainings • Limited staff to manage grants
2.Assess Collaboration within your department and School
• Discussed possibility of starting a collaboration/general consensus of importance • Each counselor displayed willingness to assist in contacting agencies • Communicated regarding division of responsibilities
Example: CMHC 3.Identify Structures & Agencies within your community
• Initial meeting to get an in-depth understanding of scope of services • Reviewed previous collaboration and researched service lists online • (NARBHA, DES, DCS)
• Creative thinking with community partners
4.Network and Relationship Building
• Identify passionate people in group • Use current relationships to your advantageASK! • Attend agency and community events • Commitment to mutual give-and-take of collaboration
Example: CMHC 5. Work out the Details • Planned space/time and individually called, explained, and invited each agency • Formulated a goal for the group and designed agenda to meet this goal • Created Doodle poll to schedule future meetings • Created a WHS counseling services sheet to inform group of our current programs • Designated someone to type minutes and send meeting invitations
6. Implement • Continued communication • Delegated follow-up responsibilities • Continue making each agency feel they are a part of each goal • Keep up with changes
Example: CMHC 7.Assess and Build • Review communication methods • Continue building our network of community agencies • Expand initiatives to include prevention • Identified key leaders in district • Assessed collaboration through a survey
Outcomes • • • •
# of community agencies involved: 21 # of Coalition Members: 30 # of meetings so far: 5 Activities accomplished: Community Services Fair at PTC, Alternative Intervention Collaboration, Sexual Assault Response Training, Sharing intake paperwork to distribute more widely, Red Ribbon joint drug-free presentation, stronger partnership and communication between high school and sexual assault advocates, Potential Grant partnership (Peer Helpers), expanded Counseling Advisory Board, School Wide presentations on Suicide Prevention, Relationship Violence, and Substance Abuse
Outcomes- Building a Collaborative Culture • Building trust with surrounding communities • Creating a sense of openness- getting out of our “bubble” in order to create the idea of a “Community School” • Sharing Resources and partnering on future joint-funded projects • Dispelling small-town rumors in the community and educating about school policies • Mutual understanding of politics surrounding different areas of operation • Increased collaboration in Professional Development and Staff Training
Barriers • Time Constraints- Working with everyone’s schedules to meet at designated time • Spacing issues- Finding a meeting area large enough for everyone /RSVPs • Utilizing multiple grants - Assuring ideas can be utilized within constraints of grant • Different organizations have different stipulations to their grants • Culture barriers- Pushback for counseling services due to backgrounds/practices • Minimal agencies/organizations in rural communities • Parent communication/informing parents of community resources • Scheduling with administration
Activity – Scenario 1 • Multiple students seek their counselor regarding a student poll on Facebook. The poll addresses a select amount of students and has other students rate their attractiveness. You find out this is happening on school property, during school hours.
Activity – Scenario 2 • Quarter grades are in and you realize that 25% of your incoming freshman received a D or F in 2 or more classes
Activity – Scenario 3 • The first week back from Winter Break, 4 students were caught smoking marijuana in their car on campus. Two days later, 7 students are charged with underage drinking.
Activity – Scenario 4 • Over a month span, you realize you have had 2 students admit to suicidal ideation, 1 student admit to self-harm, and 4 students tell you they may be depressed. When consulting with other counselors, they have found a similar occurrence in their caseloads.
Sources • U.S. Census Bureau,Public Education Finances: 2014,G14-ASPEF,U.S. Government Printing Office,Washington, DC, 2016. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/libr ary/publications/2016/econ/g14-aspef.pdf • Mental Health America (2016). Native American Communities and Mental Health. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/nativ e-american-communities-and-mentalhealth#Source 3 • American School Counselor Association (2017). Press. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/press
