Monthly Resources – September 2022
Published September 10, 2022

In June 2022, OSPI posted to their webpage their newly created Model District Template for Student Social, Emotional, and Behavioral, and Mental Health Recognition, Screening, and Response (that is a mouthful of a title!).

This document is intended to provide a template to district and building administrators and student support professionals as they explain in the document introduction and included here:

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 28A.320.127 requires that all K–12 school districts adopt a plan to screen, recognize, and respond to indicators of social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health (SEBMH) such as, but not limited to, sexual abuse, substance use, violence, or youth suicide.

This document guides districts to carry out the screening process for students and to refer and respond for appropriate intervention in a manner that is consistent with research-based practices and compliant with the law.

District leadership teams are meant to complete the Model District Template, pages 9–19 of this document, to plan and implement screening. The District Model Template guides teams to:

1. Identify one or more indicators of SEBMH to measure
   a. For example: emotional or behavioral distress; exposure to trauma, abuse, or neglect; resilience; risk of violence; risk of suicide; substance use
2. Identify the student population(s) the district plans to screen.
3. Involve all school personnel in supporting students SEBMH
4. Recognize students at-risk, based on screening results or warning signs, and respond appropriately
5. Review districts’ capacity to respond to SEBMH needs with school and community resources