Safe Schools,Positive Behavior Supports,and Mental Health Supports

Abstract

This article profiles selected Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) interventions in three Oregon communities that have completed Safe Schools/Healthy Students projects, representing a substantial investment in building school and community collaborations, expanding positive behavior supports in schools, and establishing school-based mental health services. The University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior served as the local evaluator for these projects. Although the scope of each project encompassed the six intervention elements required by the federal funding agencies, we focus on lessons learned from select components of the projects: Positive Behavior Supports in Schools, Mental Health Service integration, and Sustainability. This article describes the methods and outcomes of each component, from project startup to summative analysis of the outcomes. We conclude with our observations and recommendations for research and evaluation methodology and implementing future SS/HS projects.