RENEW in New Hampshire: Implementing Tertiary Supports in Schools with PBIS

1. RENEW in New Hampshire:Implementing Tertiary Supports in Schools with PBIS JoAnne M. Malloy, MSW, Jonathon Drake, MSW The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire Sharon Lampros, Principal, and Kathy Francoeur (Former) At-risk Guidance Counselor Somersworth High School

2. Agenda • Introductions • The RENEW model • RENEW in PBIS Schools in New Hampshire • Case Example- Somersworth High School • Discussion/Questions

3. Working at the High School Level…. “Resiliency does not come from some rare or special qualities, but from everyday magic of ordinary … human resources in … children, in their families and relationships, and in their communities.” (Masten, 2001, p. 235)

4. Thanks to Our Mentors and Collaborators • Lucille Eber, Ed.D., State Director, Illinois Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports Network • Doug Cheney, Ph.D., Professor, Special Education, College of Education, University of Washington • McKenzie Harrington, Educational Consultant, NH Department of Education • The NH Bureau of Special Education • Howard Muscott, Ed.D., Director, NH Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports • Hank Bohanon, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Education, Loyola University of Chicago

5. Educational Outcomes for Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: • 40%-60% dropout of high school (Wagner, 1991; Wehman, 1996; Wagner, Kutash, Duchnowski, & Epstein, 2005) • Experience poorer academic performance than students with LD (Lane, Carter, Pierson & Glaeser, 2006) • 10%-25% enroll in post-secondary education (compared to 53% of typical population) (Bullis & Cheney, 1999) • High rates of unemployment/underemployment post-school (Bullis& Cheney, 1999; Kortering, Hess & Braziel, 1996; Wagner, 1991; Wehman, 1996) • High rates of MH utilization, poverty, incarceration (Alexander, et al., 1997; Kortering, et. al., 1998; Lee and Burkham, 1992; Wagner, 1992)

6. Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work {RENEW} • Developed in 1996 as the model for a RSA-funded employment project for youth with “SED” • Focus is on transition, community-based services and supports • Promising results for youth who typically have very poor post-school outcomes(Eber, Nelson & Miles, 1997; Cheney, Malloy & Hagner, 1998) • Since 1999, RENEW has been provided by a non-profit organization, 4 community mental health centers, as part of 5 grant-funded projects, including the intensive intervention for PBIS in high schools, and a juvenile justice youth re-entry project.

7. RENEW: Conceptual Framework Child Welfare Education INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION SCHOOL-TO CAREER YOUTH, FAMILY, RENEW SELF-DETERMINATION Disability

8. RENEW Goals • High School Completion • Employment in Typical Jobs for Competitive Wages • Postsecondary Education • Sustainable Community Inclusion • Data is collected around each of these outcomes

9. RENEW PRINCIPLES • Self-Determination • Teach skills that build independence around living, employment, education, and positive relationships • Community Inclusion • the locus of services is the community, including coordination of multiple systems and agencies (mental health center, school, etc.) • Unconditional Care • Services are given without regard to behavior, participation, culture, or any other criteria -services are sensitive to the person’s needs. • Strengths-Based Supports • focus on strengths of the individual’s and family’s values and beliefs • Flexible Resources • Dollars and other resources are matched to need

10. RENEW Features • Mentoring by a Facilitator • Services and supports need to be provided with care coordination and case management to ensure efficiency and follow through • Management by Guidance Counselor or Sp.Ed Case Manager • Transition Planning • Transition processes should be smooth and informative so that the youth is prepared for adulthood • Student Directed • Career Focused

11. RENEW Strategies • Personal Futures Planning • Individualized Team Development and Wraparound Services • Braided (Individualized) Resource Development • Flexible or Alternative Education Programming • Individualized School-to-Career Transition Planning and Services • Naturally Supported Employment • Mentoring • Sustainable Community Connections

12. What is the Evidence that RENEW Works? • Includes outcome data collected from high school students in first RENEW project (1996-99), and, • Outcome data from students in PBIS dropout project who received individualized RENEW services, and, • Data collected for a subset (n=20) of PBIS participants using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) (Malloy, Sundar, Hagner, Pierias, & Veit, 2010) • Significantly improved functioning in several subscales: • School/work • Community • Moods/emotions and • Total Score

13. RENEW Process

14. History-Where I have been. Who I am now. Strengths, weaknesses. The people in my life. My goals and dreams My fears, what could get in my way. Short-term goals (3-6 months). Next Steps. Who does what. Schedule follow up. Personal Futures Planning – the “MAPS”

15. Common Elements • Graphic facilitation (remove the “bias” of language) • Individual’s point of view, goals and purposes, {“driven” by individual with the disability} • Geared to needs {and needs are not programs or services}

23. RENEW as the Intensive Intervention in PBIS • Leveraging In-school Needs and Resources: • Special Educators MUST provide secondary transition planning and supports for all students with IEPs who are 16 years or older • Schools MUST provide personalized learning and mentoring if they are to graduate 100% of their students (dropout rate) • Students with significant support needs MUST have transition planning and supports if they are to succeed as adults

24. Strength-based Individual/family in charge of process Team based Focus on Natural Supports Persistence Similarity in tools Focus on Multiple Domains Community Based Cultural Competence Outcome Based Data Driven Individualized Supports Uses a Trained Facilitator Similarities: Wraparound and RENEW

25. Wraparound Any family or youth needs Works with all ages Teams can be dynamic, focusing on specific needs that the family identifies Facilitator can have any background as long as trained in Wraparound process and has knowledge of community resources RENEW Focused on school-to-adult life transition Focused on adolescent(16-21 years) Teams focused on high school supports, employment, social-emotional and transition needs Facilitator must be familiar with credit completion, recovery, alternative credit pathways, special education and other school and work-based related resources. Differences

26. Leverage points to Build RENEW in a PBIS school • Special Education: teachers, para-educators, the IEP, supports and services • Guidance: counselors, school-to-career guidance and services • Regular education teachers: behavior support, personalized learning, mentoring • Universal and Tier 2 behavior supports: to keep students in school and in class.

27. RENEW in the High School • ROLES: • Tier 2 team, administrators, school counselors, identify students who are non-responders • RENEW Oversight Team (Point person, Directors of Counseling, Special Education and Administrator) use At Risk Checklist to ID students for RENEW • Point person meets with student- idnetifies in-school facilitator

28. Roles (cont.) • Facilitator initiates meetings with student and complete the MAPS- includes outside coach (IOD) and student’s counselor or special education case manager • Facilitator forms individual team, is responsible for communication and coordination • Counselor or special education case manager is responsible for data

29. Roles (cont.) • Facilitator, counselor, or special education case manager communicates and invites family members • Facilitator works with team to bring resources to the table (for alternative education, jobs, internships, etc.)

30. Implementation Strategy Case Example: Somersworth High School • Staff wanted to do something different to help students, staff were willing to work at the tertiary level (we were ready) • The personalization of learning would be achieved by RENEW • The number of students was manageable • We had a group of people who were willing to do the work • A caring and passionate staff

31. Implementation continued • Capacity to practice in the school by school personnel • designated person or group to do RENEWwho is already doing these type of services? Reallocating responsibilities. • Training with ongoing support • RENEW is a distinct model that helped us with a group of students for whom nothing else worked • RENEW works, it sells itself

32. Leadership Support • Assist with resources (release time, training supports) • Empower staff to try new things • Schedule and supported staff with training time • Invest in problem-solving with individual student teams • Participate in individual student meetings, personal commitment and modeling • Make RENEW a priority as part of the PBIS framework and system

33. RENEW Referral Process • Problem Behavior • Lack of Credits • Failing • Targeted Team: • Quick FBA Targeted Team: Full FBA Student Not Responding to Universal Interventions Targeted Team: Student Triaged for RENEW RENEW Point person matches with a RENEW Facilitator Student Referred to RENEW Point person (Oversight Team) Student receives initial Conversation and begins RENEW

34. How we Built RENEW in Somersworth High School • 2006 • School voted to become a PBIS school • Fall, 2006 • Targeted Team identified students at greatest risk • Spring, 2007 • RENEW trainer began working with at risk students along with identified school personnel • Fall, 2007 • Universal Team and Targeted Team decided to design a RENEW training series for school staff provided by RENEW trainer

35. Timeline continued • Spring/Fall 2008 • Three series of training provided, totaling 8 hours • Total of 30 school staff trained • Targeted Team created a referral and screening process for RENEW students • Fall, 2008 • RENEW began working the selected students

36. Timeline continued • Spring/Fall 2009 • Continue to refer and support students in RENEW • Hold monthly facilitators meeting to offer them ongoing support and skill development • Began exploring options to earn possible credit for RENEW • Spring 2010 • RENEW training series for special education staff to build process into transitional planning for special education students

38. RENEW Training for Facilitators • RENEW is now a manualized practice with: • Tools • Training and coaching modules • Data collection tools • Fidelity of Implementation Process • Coaching/modeling are the keys to building fluency

39. RENEW: Required Training Elements • Conceptual Framework and research • Personal Futures Planning using graphic facilitation (Cotton, 2003) • Building resources around each youth based upon the youth’s stated goals and needs. • Team building and facilitation • School-to-career planning; Special Education Secondary Transition Planning (“Indicator 13”); employment; work-based learning opportunities • Post-secondary education and service linkages; community participation

40. What Made the Trainings a Success…

41. Individual Student Teams • Each student’s guidance counselor or special education case manager must be invited as part of the team and be one of the decision-makers • Communication is critical- tools (Action Plan) • Who’s missing from the table? • Setting ground rules so the meeting remains youth-focused….

42. Communication: Action Planning Worksheet

43. RENEW Case Example: “Kristen” • Student Situation when Enrolled (2007) • 16 years old • Significant behavior problems (drugs, disrespect) • Referred through Targeted Team • Receiving”504” education services • Mom unemployed and abusing drugs and alcohol • History of abuse and homelessness • Frequently moving between mom and dad’s home • Failing all classes (repeating freshman year)

44. Kristen’s Team • Met quarterly to check on plan status • School RENEW facilitator and external RENEW consultant handled logistics structure and student developed the agenda • Team consisted of Kristen, University RENEW Facilitator, Principal, Guidance Counselor, Voc/Tech Counselor, Teachers, School Behavior Specialist (Targeted Team). • Why are all these participants important?

45. Kristen’s Outcomes • Graduated in June 2010 (26 credits) • Key member of the cheerleader squad • Has logged two years of hours as an EMT trainee, firefighter trainee • Is looking towards college and independent living

46. Updated Maps • Where I am today • Things I know • My Strengths • My Obstacles • My Fears • My Dreams • People in My Life • My Action Plan: College