Workforce Approaches and Learning Supports for Youth with Mental Health and Behavioral Issues

1. Workforce Approaches and Learning Supports for Youth with Mental Healthand Behavioral Issues Dawn Anderson-Butcher, PhD, LISW Ohio State University

2. “It is important that Americans as a whole recognize that our means of sustaining competitive advantage in the global economy must draw upon our base of knowledge and skills, as opposed to physical might. In order to do that successfully we must establish an effective learning system, inspire a pursuit of knowledge, and convey the importance of lifelong learning in the general population” -P-16 Business Representative

3. Workforce Development Challenges • Shortage of more than 14 million workers with postsecondary education projected • Fastest growing job sectors today call for at least some education post-high school • Need for advanced skills and knowledge necessary in the global market • Also demands “soft skills” such as problem solving, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, etc • Major achievement gaps and disparities among racial, ethnic, and socio-economic status within an increasingly diverse population compound these needs

4. Workforce Development Issues • Over 30% of ninth graders do not graduate from high school within four years • 10% of adults do not have high school diplomas • Number of dropouts is increasing in many communities • Of those that do graduate from high school, 1/3 do not receive any postsecondary education or training directly after high school • 60% of 9th graders do not immediately enroll in college after high school • 40% of four year and 63% of two year students require remediation • ½ of first year students at community colleges drop our prior to their second year • Many students who go on to four year colleges do not graduate in four years • Wide disparities exist by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status

5. Providing all youth with sufficient skills necessary to access good jobs that tend to require at least some education or training after high school will present fiscal, curriculum, and institutional challenges (Carnevale & Desrouchers)

6. P-16 Approaches • Creating educational pathways, beginning in preschool and/or pre-kindergarten and continuing through the completion of college degrees or advanced technical/vocational programs post-high school. • Educators and other stakeholders form state, local, and regional P-16 Councils that plan for whole system reform • Attention is paid to key transition points between various levels of education • Preschool to primary • Primary to high school • High school to college and/or vocational/technical • College and/or vocational/technical to careers

7. A P-16 Example: Greater Cincinnati’s STRIVE

8. Early Learning Strategies • Ensuring every child under 5 has access to high quality, early learning preschool programs • Ensuring all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed • Increasing parents/guardians awareness and understanding learning expectations for children

9. K-12 System Strategies • Ensuring all children achieve basic literacy by the end of 3rd grade (8 years) • Ensuring all children demonstrate algebra and geometry proficiency by 8th grade (13 years) • Increasing the number of high schoolders successfully completing a rigorous high school curriculum • Increasing percentage of high school graduates moving on to postsecondary education

10. Postsecondary Strategies • Ensuring college admission and course placement standards are coordinated with P-12 standards • Increasing the number of college freshman who continue into the sophomore eyear • Increasing the number of adults who take advantage of flexible opportunities to add to or upgrade skills

11. For Some of Our Kids Getting the Conditions Right is Difficult Parents Did Not Do Well in School Alcoholic Mother Depressed Poor Health Isolated Smart & Bored Abused Hungry

12. P-16 Councils in Ohio • 5 Counties focused on educational pathways • Knowledge Works Foundation planning grants

13. Key Practice Strategies • High expectations for all youth • Awareness of expectations by youth and parents • Alignment of standards with curriculum, instruction, and assessments • Attention to transitions across the “vertical” pipeline • Dual enrollment programs (complete college credits while in high school) • Quality instruction in educational settings • Learning supports removing barriers to learning

14. Learning Supports • Early identification, linkage, and referral • Targeting youth at critical transition points in the pipeline (entering kindergarden; elementary to middle school; 8th to 9th grade; high school to postsecondary, etcc) • Addressing key risk factors and building protective factors

15. Risk Factors • Characteristics or circumstances that increase the likelihood that children and youth will evidence personal-social needs and engage in problem behaviors (Fraser et al., 1997; Hawkins et al., 1992; Smith & Carlson, 1997)

16. Example Risk Factors • Community • availability of drugs/alcohol; neighborhood attachment, disorganization; economic deprivation • Family • conflict; family history of problem behaviors and/or substance use; supervision; management practices • School • lack of commitment to school; early and persistent antisocial behaviors • Individual and Peer • alienation; rebelliousness; attitudes toward problem behavior; interaction with antisocial peers

17. What Do We Know? • The same risk factors predict multiple problem behaviors • Find one risk factor, sooner or later, you will find others • Rarely does just one risk factor “turn the tide.” It is the overall cumulative effect of multiple risk factors that contributes to negative outcomes • Some youth withstand substantive risk and excel in their development and achievement (e.g., Resilience)

18. Protective Factors • Mechanisms that prevent risk factors and problem behaviors, and/or assets that act to mollify the effects of risk (Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992; Fraser et al., 1997; Smith & Carlson, 1997)

19. Example Protective Factors • Community • Caring adults in neighborhood; access to opportunities; connection to faith-based organizations; community values youths, value diversity • Family • Parental support; family attachment; family opportunities/rewards; parental involvement in school • School • Caring school climate; relationships with teachers; opportunities for extracurricular activities • Individual and Peer • Self-esteem; social skills; autonomy; intelligence; optimism; prosocial peers; social support; temperament

20. Synthesis of Research Findings

21. Risk and Protective Factor Frameworks Risk Factors Problem Behaviors/Healthy Development Protective Factors

22. Lessons… • Risk factors and protective factors must be identified and addressed simultaneously to promote comprehensive helping strategies • Intervene to address the one risk factor now, but at the same time, implement comprehensive preventive strategies to prevent others in the future

23. Avoid “one size fits all” thinking and interventions. Place, context, timing, and the mix of people matter, and practice must be tailored in response • Intentionally link intervention strategies back to priority outcomes (e.g., targeted risk and protective factors)

24. Key Ideas • Build protective factors through universal strategies • Identify risk early • Develop systems of support that allow for interventions to be put in place immediately • Evaluate and monitor progress • Continue to develop “system” and infrastructure through partnerships • See: http://www.csw.ohio-state.edu/occmsi/USDOE.html

25. County Cluster Team District-Wide Service Delivery Team Targeted Interventions (special ed; counseling, tracking, intervention, etc) Increasing Use of Resources Supportive Service Staff and Administration Indicated School Support Team (IAT) Teacher Assistance Team Individual Teacher Problem Solving Communication with Student and Parent Recognition of Problems with Individual Students by Teachers and Parents/Guardians Selected Quality, Individualized, and Engaging Instruction Youth Development Classroom Management And School Climate Universal Figure 3. Anderson-Butcher (2005). Potential Continuum of Services (Expanded from Zins, 2005)

26. Outcomes • Reduced risk factors and enhanced protective factors • Increased high school graduation rates • Increased achievement scores • Decreased achievement gaps • Decreased needs for remediation • Increased employability, civic engagement, and stronger workforce From: Van de Water, 2004; Van de Water & Krueger, 2002; Krueger, 2002; Van de Water & Rainwater, 2002)

27. What Does it Take • Collaboration • Well Articulated and Unified Framework • Leadership • Supportive Policies • Professional Development and Learning • Data and Accountability Systems • Funding and Incentives • Practice Strategies

28. For More Information: Dawn Anderson-Butcher 325D Stillman Hall 1947 College Road College of Social Work Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210 Phone: 614-292-8596 Email: anderson-butcher.1@osu.edu