Abstract
Collaboration among a wide variety of stakeholders is foundational in the development and sustainability of comprehensive school mental health systems (CSMHS). Successful collaboration is challenging without a clear framework or model that promotes structure and practice. Learning communities (LCs) are an example of an effective strategy to develop and enhance stakeholder collaboration to improve CSMHS quality by providing a structured approach for stakeholders to engage in shared learning, innovate within the support and accountability of a professional network, and drive quality improvement priorities forward. This chapter describes two types of LCs that have been used to advance CSMHS quality, Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Networks (CoIINs), and Communities of Practice (CoP). These LCs engage stakeholders from a wide array of disciplines (health, behavioral health, education, family/youth advocacy) and levels (local, regional, state, national). Examples of stakeholder collaboration as a result of the LCs are highlighted. The LCs improved stakeholder engagement by strengthening state relationships to enhance school mental health; developing a network of peers and creating partnerships to drive quality and improve the visibility of their work; and improving personal and team satisfaction. Key lessons learned from LCs that can be applied to other stakeholder engagement strategies are discussed.
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Notes
- 1.
SBHCs are health centers based on primary and secondary school campuses that offer primary care services, at minimum, and often also provide behavioral health services, dental/oral healthcare, vision care, case management, health education and promotion, nutrition services, and substance use counseling. SBHCs usually reflect a partnership between schools and a community provider such as a community health center, hospital, or local health department. The Community Preventative Services Task Force recognizes SBHCs as an evidence-based intervention to promote health equity (Knopf et al., 2016). The School-Based Health Alliance (SBHA), founded in 1995, serves as the national advocacy and technical assistance non-profit organization supporting SBHCs nationally. See https://www.hrsa.gov/our-stories/school-health-centers/index.html and https://www.sbh4all.org/about/
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Acknowledgments
The learning communities reviewed in this chapter were made possible by the active participation of comprehensive school mental health systems at district and state levels, and school-based health centers and their sponsoring organization. We are grateful to all who participated. This publication was partially supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant titled: Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network on School-Based Health Services. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government [grant number U61MC31885].
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Orenstein, S. et al. (2023). Advancing School Mental Health Quality Through National Learning Communities. In: Evans, S.W., Owens, J.S., Bradshaw, C.P., Weist, M.D. (eds) Handbook of School Mental Health. Issues in Clinical Child Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20006-9_15
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