Many school systems support students through a pyramid of interventions for educational needs.  The CUES region will promote a “Pyramid of Interventions' ' to support the Utah Portrait of a Graduate Wellness needs through a team approach.  Teachers and other school staff provide a welcoming, supportive environment for students to learn, which forms the base of the pyramid. A solid foundation for all students' wellness and learning success.  The second tier provides students that may need extra assistance in meeting academic and wellness goals with interventions appropriate for the student in consultation with parents or guardians. The third tier provides students that have not responded to tier 1 or tier 2 interventions with individualized and intensive support. School Counselors support students by providing guidance activities, and guidance counseling services.  Social Workers assist students with wellness needs.  Social Workers aid in decreasing school dropouts and truancy rates, by providing services to students, families, and schools with the primary focus of removing barriers to academic success. Contracted School Therapists provide intervention and group, family, and temporary individual mental-health counseling. They may transition some students to Central Utah Counseling Center or other private counseling services when the need arises.  Other wellness support services include School Nurses, Wellness Centers in schools, School Psychologists and Behavior Analysts. 

Tier 1: Universal Interventions

• Administrators, teachers, and support staff provide universal interventions
• Training on and application of universal interventions
• Established school-wide positive behavior expectations, systematic rewarding of good behavior (PBIS) and wellness programs
• Classroom Management
• Diagnostic - Define problem behaviors
• Appropriate screenings
• Data collection for informed decision making
• Refer Student to Tier 2 interventions if Tier 1 interventions have not meet need

Tier 2: Targeted Interventions

• Administrators, teachers, support staff, school counselors, school nurses, school psychologist, school social worker, and behavior analyst provide targeted wellness supports
• Targeted group support for individuals identified through data collection processes
• Complete Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
• Referral to BCBA for assistance with FBAs and BIPs
• School Wellness Centers
• Refer Student to Tier 3 interventions if Tier 2 interventions have not meet need

Tier 3: Supported Interventions

• Administrators, teachers, support staff, school counselors, school nurses, school psychologist, school social worker, behavior analyst, and CUCC provide targeted interventions of student therapy
• Support and crisis-intervention counseling for students presenting with mental and/or behavioral concerns requiring immediate/prompt attention. 
• Utilize outside resources - CUCC, CUES BCBA, IHC Support Team, community resources, private resources, etc
• Students needing intensive, individualized on-going support will be referred to outside agencies that provide wraparound services  (public health, mental health, medical, foster care, juvenile justice, etc.).

When working with an escalated child a common reaction is to say, "calm down". Typically, telling someone to calm down has the opposite effect, and is unlikely to help them return to calmer and safer behavior. Calm is a behavior that needs to be taught by teaching the child what calm looks and feels like. A good starting point to teach a calm body. This is especially effective when the child engages in aggressive behavior when they are escalated.

The steps for a Calm Body should be practiced in moments of calm. This practice will make the student more likely to engage in the behavior when they are escalated. Use the visual provided to prompt the behaviors needed to achieve a Calm Body.

 

Everyone is busy and our minds are running fast. Our minds are full of all kinds of information and our days are filled with tasks. So I suggest that each one of us this coming year take some time to slow down and clear some space in our lives. One way we can do this is to take 5 to 10 minutes to be mindful. If you have never learned this technique hey guess what there is an app for that. It is called Headspace. You can try it for free on any personal devise. All it take is a few minutes to sit undisturbed and be aware of where you are emotion, physically and mentally. " If greater well-being isn't enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can: help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties." (Benefits of Mindfulness) So try it out and see what benefits you can discover.