Whole Child Supports

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.

In our efforts to build resilience in our students, we are charged with the examination of our capacity personally and professionally to model that which we strive to build. Our capacity to serve our students and communities are impacted by our personal histories, organizational supports, and the societal context we work in. The toolkit attempts to center trauma and equity informed perspectives that add value in understanding where each individual starts on their path to compassion resilience; this lens also deepens our understanding of what supports can be offered to fuel the energy of a diverse staff that is stretched thin.

Connect Now provides an overview of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study and a glimpse into Connections Matter Georgia, a more in-depth training designed to engage community members in building caring connections to improve resiliency, prevent childhood trauma, and understand how our interactions with others can support those who have experienced trauma.

Sources of Strength Secondary is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults. Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard they have strengths to rely on.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD), and eating disorders.

This program is designed for teens (age 13-18) desiring to obtain positive self-worth or secure attachment. Participants will go through a series of sessions in a group format designed to help them understand how the events in their lives have contributed to low self-worth. The classes focus on developing an understanding of the “lies” an individual believes about themselves, such as “I am not good enough,” or “I am not smart enough,” or “I have no patience” and how to replace these lies with truth. In addition, once a participant is released from the beliefs associated with the past, the sessions focus on rebuilding a new life based on positive self-worth as well as how to maintain these gains.*Please contact egalang@nwgaresa.com for more information so that you can be connected with the agency that provides this training.

GaMTSS (with GaDOE support) - See the Georgia Department of Education’s guidance from the Office of Whole Child Supports on GaMTSS.