ABSTRACT
One of the best ways to change the school environment is by developing a multi-tiered mental health continuum of care. This can be accomplished by providing mental health services to meet the needs of all students in the schools. Doll, Cummings, and Chapla (2014) refer to these services as population-based school mental health services. This approach is consistent with a prevention-focused public health model. The first tier represents the provision of universal screening and evidence-based curriculum and interventions for all students in the school. The second tier focuses on delivering selected or targeted interventions to high-risk students, which accounts for about 15-20 percent of the student body in a typical school. The third tier is geared toward the delivery of indicated and intensive services to those students requiring comprehensive supports. These services are often remedial and substantial and are designed to help students develop more effective behavioral, social, and emotional competencies. In a typical school, students receiving Tier III interventions may represent only about 1-5 percent of the school population (Doll et al., 2014).
