The Transitional Coaches™ Model: A New Model for SchoolBased Mental Health Services

by Judyann McCarthy, LCSW

The purpose of this program is to promote a collaborative and integrated approach between the education and healthcare communities to ensure students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

The collateral damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has included the shutdown of much of society, including many schools. Without a doubt, this public health emergency has presented unprecedented challenges to our schools and communities. In June, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) released The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan to provide necessary information and considerations for a return to in-person instruction to our school district leaders. Since the provision of these guidelines, districts have made difficult decisions regarding the safe reopening of their schools, based upon local needs assessments, staffing capacities, current enrollment numbers, and the unique physical structures within each school.

New Jersey students returned to schools utilizing a mix of operational models including hybrid learning, remote instruction, and full in-person instruction. While districts have approached the challenge of school reopening in a variety of ways, all school communities are facing the same fundamental reality—their students have endured, and continue to endure, significant stress and trauma due to the ongoing pandemic. As schools continue to adjust to daily changes related to the public health conditions and mandates, it is critical to support the mental health and resiliency of students and their families. Years of research in education, psychology, physiology, and neuroscience have shown that stress and trauma greatly impact an individual’s ability to work and learn, and this past year has been no exception.

Mental health support for children and young adults has adapted to the pandemic by transitioning to digital and virtual interventions. While it is important to continue mental health support by any means possible, there are some relevant challenges that must be considered. First, not all children and young adults have access to technology; if they do, it is often not a private or personal device. Second, many children and young adults reported concerns regarding lack of privacy at home and fear that family members are overhearing their sessions. This is especially problematic for those who do not want their families to know they receive mental health support. Third, many are reporting long wait times to access online support, as well as less thorough appointments due to the increased demand for services. Lastly, many children and young people reported a lack of clarity as to how they can access support with normal channels interrupted.

After three years of intensive research and development, and now with issues uniquely related to the pandemic firmly in mind, the Camden County Educational Services Commission, in partnership with School-Based Behavioral Health Care Network (SBHSN), has successfully launched SBHSN’s Transitional Coaches™ model for the 2020-2021 school year. This model is specifically designed to improve students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and wellness outcomes. The purpose of this program is to promote a collaborative and integrated approach between the education and healthcare communities to ensure students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

The program brings highly skilled mental health clinicians to schools, after-school programs, and youth summer programs to assist school personnel who interact with youths in school settings. Implementation of this evidence-based program throughout New Jersey’s public, charter, nonpublic, and private schools removes the previously mentioned barriers to accessing quality mental health services by locating services on-site and ensuring privacy during the school day, as well as eliminating long wait times and transportation issues. It is also expected that the Transitional Coaches™ model will increase school personnel’s awareness and knowledge of mental health issues among the students they serve, including trauma informed care that makes students feel safe and secure.

Overall, the program will accomplish the following goals:

• Expand behavioral health professionals on school campuses utilizing the NJ Family Care Program

• Create fully functional, self-funded Behavioral Health Access Centers on school campuses.

• Destigmatize behavioral health services to promote staff, family, and student acceptance and education of mental health issues.

We have witnessed how vulnerable the mental health of our students can be, especially when they are isolated from the stability normally provided by their school settings and the ability to interact and socialize with their peers. Moving forward, on-campus mental health access centers within New Jersey’s schools will help ensure our most at-risk children are not left even further behind and eliminate barriers to care, allowing students to receive therapeutic services that will help them reach their fullest potential.

To learn more about the Transitional Coaches Model go to: https://www.camdenesc.org/Content2/ mentalhealth1

About the Author:

Judyann McCarthy, MSW, LCSW is the current First Vice President of the NASW-NJ Board of Directors and the Mental Health Program Manager at the Camden County Educational Services Commission.