Mental Health and Wellness

Moon Area School District (MASD) has many strategies in place to support mental health and wellness at each level. The District uses a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to meet students’ needs K-12. MTSS is a framework of tiered supports, which increase in intensity from one level to the next. This model not only focuses on academic growth and achievement, but also incorporates behavioral and social-emotional evidence-based strategies to allow regular education students to access intervention supports earlier. This model can also help to identify students who are in need of more intensive supports.

Proactive Approach

School Counselors take a proactive approach at the elementary level to speak with classes of students about mental health and wellness, kindness, and anti-bullying. At the middle school and high school, those same conversations occur with teachers, counselors, and principals at scheduled times throughout the school day and school year.

The District implemented Rachel’s Challenge K-12 in 2018. This national program aims to increase acts of kindness, reduce bullying, and spark conversation about mental health and wellness. In addition to Rachel’s Challenge, the District has instituted a #ChooseKind campaign. MASD will also continue to establish and implement School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports so there is common language utilized district-wide with regard to expectations and support.

Intervention

If students are experiencing barriers to learning or are in need of support, the appropriate MASD school counselor should be contacted immediately K-12. MASD school counselors are highly trained to provide support directly for students in need and/or to connect students and parents to additional services if they are requested or can be helpful.

The first step in supporting students in need starts with contacting your school counselor. School counselors work closely with school psychologists, building principals, teachers, staff, students, parents, and outside agencies. Parents and/or students can contact their respective school counselor at any time. School Counselors can provide a number of support strategies and/or appropriate resources. MASD administrators and counselors received training in August 2018 in Youth Mental Health First Aid by the National Council for Behavioral Health. The first resource that can be utilized by students in need of support is Moon Assistance Program for Students (MAPS), which is a program to identify students experiencing barriers to learning and who are in need of supports and services.

The steps for being included in MAPS are:

Referral - Referrals can be made by parents, students, or staff to the MAPS Coordinator.
Screening - Students are then screened by a mental health professional.
Recommendation - Recommendations are provided to families.

Support

Once a student is identified, and parents provide permission for participation, any number of supports can be provided. Referrals can be provided to private school-based therapy or outside agencies. There is a team at each MASD building level with individuals who work with each student to remove barriers to learning and provide supports as appropriate. The high school MAPS team is supported by a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) prevention specialist.