Welcome
- Welcome
- Self-Care Tips for Educators
- MTSS for SEBH (Social, Emotional, Behavioral Health) Updates from Keystone
- Contacts
Welcome
Website designed to help Iowans with mental health needs
Mental health professionals from Iowa’s nine AEAs recently collaborated to create a website for Iowans who are searching for mental health assistance. The website at www.IowaAEAMentalHealth.org came from a request by the state legislature to help educators, parents, and students navigate resources related to mental health and well-being in Iowa. In addition to AEA contacts for the schools, the site provides contacts for the home setting from Iowa’s Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS).
The website features vetted sources to educate visitors about addiction and substance abuse; anxiety and stress disorders; attention deficit disorder; depression; eating disorders; and self-harm.
Virtual Calming Room
Take a few minutes for yourself to explore the sounds and sights of a virtual calming room.
Iowa AEA Mental Health Website printables available
Self-Care Coloring and Activity Books
designed for students in Grades 5-8
Elevate Mobile Crisis Response
Elevate Mobile Crisis Response team
runs 24/7/365. Learn more.
Educators, parents, healthcare workers, and citizens of Iowa who experience a mental health crisis are encouraged to contact their county’s mobile crisis provider for assistance within 60 minutes. Please see the Mobile Crisis Response map for more details.
RESOURCES FOR CHECKOUT
We offer many resources in our lending library. to support social, emotional, behavior, and mental health.
Self-Care Tips for Educators
MTSS for SEBH (Social, Emotional, Behavioral Health) Updates from Keystone
Get the latest updates
SEBH Updates: Utilize the Continuous Improvement Process to analyze your action plan targeting attendance. Consider changes needed and start planning for the 24-25 school year.
- SEBH
- all others
- dbq
- teacher update
SEBH Updates: While you continue to develop your action plan, consider how you can support student attendance through incentives.
- SEBH
- all others
- dbq
- teacher update
SEBH Updates: Take information from your completed self-assessment and root cause analysis worksheet to create an action plan that addresses your goals for improving attendance.
- SEBH
- all others
- dbq
- teacher update
SEBH Updates: Conduct a self-assessment to identify priority areas for improvement. Utilize this data with the root cause data to begin reviewing evidence-based practices to support increased attendance.
- SEBH
- all others
- dbq
- teacher update
SEBH Updates: Utilize data to determine what root causes may be impacting chronic absenteeism at your school. View questions to help guide discussions, and tools for determining the root cause.
- SEBH
- all others
- dbq
- teacher update
Contacts
Please contact a member of your district's Navigator Team or refer to our specialized services directory.
This site provides resources for the multi-tiered system of supports for social, emotional, behavioral health – sometimes referred to as safe, supporting, and sensitive schools.
Mental Health
Mental health professionals from Iowa’s nine AEAs recently collaborated to create a website for Iowans who are searching for mental health assistance. The website at www.IowaAEAMentalHealth.org came from a request by the state legislature to help educators, parents, and students navigate resources related to mental health and well-being in Iowa. In addition to AEA contacts for the schools, the site provides contacts for the home setting from Iowa’s Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS).
The website features vetted sources to educate visitors about addiction and substance abuse; anxiety and stress disorders; attention deficit disorder; depression; eating disorders; and self-harm.
Welcome!
Please select a mental health topic from the list below to access strategies, resources for check-out, and additional online tools.
- Anxiety
- Behavior Management
- Depression
- Executive Function
- Grief
- Suicide / Self Injury
- Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS)
Anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.
People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat. (Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology)
Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:
-
Feeling nervous, restless or tense
-
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
-
Having an increased heart rate
-
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
-
Sweating
-
Trembling
-
Feeling weak or tired
-
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
-
Having trouble sleeping
-
Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
-
Having difficulty controlling worry
-
Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
Several types of anxiety disorders exist:
- Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.
- Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem.
- Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression.
- Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which they've occurred.
- Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.
- Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that's excessive for the child's developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.
- Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you're exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.
- Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of abusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs.
Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don't meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.
Behavior Management
Behavior management promotes positive behavior and reduces opportunities for poor behavior. Each mental health disorder has its own set of emotional and behavioral symptoms. By understanding the behavior, then developing and using a set of intervention strategies on a regular basis, emotions and behavior can be effectively managed and changed in the classroom.
Characteristics
-
Many students with mental health challenges have difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviors, often becoming inflexible and oppositional, disengaged or disruptive.
-
Students with anxiety or other mental health challenges may demonstrate inconsistent performance and behavior, which may fluctuate with their emotional state.
-
Most students with mental health challenges exhibit small behavior changes (wiggling in their seats, speaking loudly, or putting their heads down) before they become overwhelmed, act inappropriately, or stop working.
Depression
Depression
Depression is a disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is more than just a bout of the blues, it isn’t a weakness that can be simply “snapped out of”. With depression a child may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living. Depression may require long-term treatment but most people feel better with help.
Characteristics
Although depression may occur only one time during your life, usually people have multiple episodes of depression. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:
-
Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
-
Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
-
Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as hobbies or sports
-
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
-
Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
-
Changes in appetite — often reduced appetite and weight loss, but increased cravings for food and weight gain in some people
-
Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
-
Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
-
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that aren't your responsibility
-
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
-
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
-
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. Other people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.
Depression symptoms in children and teens:
Common signs and symptoms of depression in children and teenagers are similar to those of adults, but there can be some differences.
-
In younger children, symptoms of depression may include sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
-
In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.
From Mayoclinic.org
Executive Function
Executive Function
Executive functioning skills are generally described as deficits that impact an individual’s ability to organize and act on information. The eight common sets of skills are: impulse control, emotional control, flexibility, working memory, self-monitoring, planning and prioritizing, task initiation, and organization. We often see these deficits in our students through their struggles with initiating tasks, using class time appropriately, difficulty making decisions, and task completion.
Characteristics
Formal Definition
“The executive functions are a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation.”
Primary Executive Functioning Skills
-
Organization
-
The ability to keep track of things physically or mentally.
-
Individuals who struggle with this aspect of executive functioning can often lose their train of thought, lose items, or lack the ability to impose order.
-
-
Impulse Control
-
The ability to think before acting.
-
People who have poor impulse control are often impulsive which may take the form of blurting out inappropriate things or at inappropriate times. This may also take the shape of engaging in risky behavior (i.e. not considering consequences).
-
-
Emotional Control
-
This ability to regulate one’s emotions or keep them “in check”.
-
Individuals who struggle to control their emotions may overreact or have difficulties accepting criticism or disappointment.
-
-
Flexible Thinking
-
Being able to adjust to the unexpected.
-
People who struggle with flexible thinking are often rigid in their thought processes. This can be seen through an individual’s struggle to “roll with the punches” or problem solve.
-
-
Working Memory
-
The capacity to retrieve needed information from one’s memory.
-
Working memory deficits can take the form of an individual’s difficulties with remembering directions or accessing information that has been taught previously.
-
-
Self-Monitoring
-
The ability to evaluate oneself.
-
Individuals who have a hard time with self-monitoring may be surprised when given a grade or feedback because it might not match up to their perceived performance.
-
-
Planning and Prioritizing
-
The ability to decide on a goal and make a plan to meet that goal.
-
Students who struggle with planning and prioritizing often do not know where to start a project or how to choose which aspects may be the most important.
-
-
Task Initiation
-
The ability to begin a task or activity.
-
People who have weak task initiation skills often don’t know where to start on a task. Once one step is done they may not recognize the need to move on to the next step or to follow plans through to completion.
-
These 8 primary executive functioning skills help individuals lead productive lives and deficits in any of these areas may have an impact that varies from minimal to extreme. Some individuals may struggle in only one skill area while others may have needs in many; however, it is important to note that executive functioning can be improved through the targeted instruction and practice of specific strategies.
From understood.org.
Grief
Suicide / Self Injury
Suicide/Self Injury
Suicide, taking your own life, is a tragic reaction to stressful life situations — and all the more tragic because suicide can be prevented. Whether you're considering suicide or know someone who feels suicidal, learn suicide warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment. You may save a life — your own or someone else's.
It may seem like there's no way to solve your problems and that suicide is the only way to end the pain. But you can take steps to stay safe — and start enjoying your life again.
(Taken from Mayo Clinic Symptoms and Causes)
Suicide warning signs or suicidal thoughts include:
-
Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born"
-
Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills
-
Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone
-
Having mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next
-
Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence
-
Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation
-
Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
-
Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns
-
Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly
-
Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there's no other logical explanation for doing this
-
Saying goodbye to people as if they won't be seen again
-
Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above
Warning signs aren't always obvious, and they may vary from person to person. Some people make their intentions clear, while others keep suicidal thoughts and feelings secret.
When to see a doctor:
If you're feeling suicidal, but you aren't immediately thinking of hurting yourself:
-
Reach out to a close friend or loved one — even though it may be hard to talk about your feelings
-
Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community
-
Call a suicide hotline
-
Make an appointment with your doctor, other health care provider or mental health provider
Suicidal thinking doesn't get better on its own — so get help.
For immediate help
If you think you may attempt suicide, get help now:
-
Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
-
Call a suicide hotline number. In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255). Use that same number and press "1" to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
School Printable Resources
-
Suicide Risk Assessment (English)
-
Warning Signs Suicide (English)
-
Warning Signs Suicide (Spanish)
Teen suicide: What parents need to know
Helping Children and Youth Who Are Feeling Suicidal
Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS)
Trauma Sensitive Schools
Children and adolescents vary in the nature of their responses to traumatic experiences. The reactions of individual youths may be influenced by their developmental level, ethnicity/cultural factors, previous trauma exposure, available resources, and preexisting child and family problems. However, nearly all children and adolescents express some kind of distress or behavioral change in the acute phase of recovery from a traumatic event.
Characteristics
Many of the reactions displayed by children and adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic events are similar or identical to behaviors that mental health professionals see on a daily basis in their practice.
~ American Psychological Association
These include:
-
the development of new fears
-
separation anxiety (particularly in young children)
-
sleep disturbance, nightmares
-
sadness
-
loss of interest in normal activities
-
reduced concentration
-
decline in schoolwork
-
anger
-
somatic complaints
-
irritability
Complex Trauma: Facts for Educators
Seven Ingredients of Resilience for Parents
PBIS
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS)
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a multi-tiered continuum of supports for improving behavioral outcomes at the universal, targeted, and intensive levels. PBIS provides schools with the framework and organizational plan to promote and maximize academic achievement and behavioral competence for all students.
The main logic behind PBIS is that behavior support in schools begins by investing in building a positive social culture. PBIS schools systematically and intentionally define and teach behavioral expectations, monitor and acknowledge appropriate behavior, provide corrective consequences for behavioral erros, and use data to make decisions about their systems and practices.
Keystone AEA, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education, provides training and coaching to assist schools to develop, implement, and sustain PBIS in their building.
CPI
Nonviolent Physical Crisis Prevention (CPI)
The Nonviolent Physical Crisis Intervention Program, developed by the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), not only teaches staff to respond effectively to the warning signs that someone is beginning to lose control, but also addresses how staff can deal with their own stress, anxieties, and emotions when confronted with these challenging situations. The program trains participants to recognize changes in behavior that could be cues to escalating behavior and then teaches them appropriate responses to attempt to deescalate it. The training emphasizes staff awareness of verbal and nonverbal behavior and how it can either escalate or deescalate a situation. The training then teaches the staff about keeping themselves physically safe in dangerous situations and how team intervention is preferable to solo intervention. Finally, staff is instructed in the safe, non-harmful use of physical restraint only as a last resort.
CPI Training
Since 2020, Keystone has been offering a Blended/Hybrid Learning plan for initial and recertification for CPI. With this hybrid plan, the initial and recertification are considered the same training. This model requires teachers to complete work independently before a scheduled face-to-face training with a certified instructor to complete the physical interventions.
Given the importance of this work, Keystone will be shifting back to face-to-face instruction throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
Training Opportunities
In-district training requests can be made annually through the Professional Learning Collaborative Conversations. In-house training will require 15 or more staff. Districts that have less staff needing certification or recertification are able to register for the regional offerings held in the fall and spring.
CPI Contacts
If you have questions, please reach out to Tasha Fritz or Carissa Otto.
Determining What Professional Development Staff Need
Please review CPI’s Risk Pyramid for Education.
Highest Risk
Special Education Teachers, BD/ED Classroom Staff
Full CPI Certification Annually which includes Online Modules and In-Person Learning
Considerations: Have staff attend a regional or in-district CPI training. (see above)
Use the Micro-credential titled, Top Ten Tips for De-Escalation in some format to emphasize the importance of these skills and strategies prior to a physical restraint.
Moderate Risk
General Education Teachers, some Paraprofessionals
Full CPI Certification Annually which includes Online Modules and In-Person
OR
Verbal De Escalation Training
- Micro-credential
- Facilitated Learning
- In district facilitated learning
Consider having staff attend a regional or in-district CPI training. (see above)
Low-Medium Risk
Bus Drivers, Lunchroom staff, Custodial Staff, some Paraprofessionals
Verbal De Escalation Training
- Micro-credential: Top 10 Tips for De-Escalation
- Facilitated Learning
- In district facilitated learning
Consider having staff engage independently in the micro-credential or attend a facilitated Zoom session or onsite session for the micro-credential.
Crisis Response & School Safety
Crisis Response
Region 1 Contact
Region 2 Contact
Region 3 Contact
Select your role:
Administrator
During a critical incident:
The CRT should assemble prior to the staff meeting to: Share updated factual information, preview staff meeting format and discuss procedures for day.
Sometime between the initial telephone contact and the morning teachers' meeting, some specific logistics need to be agreed upon. Initially, to what extent does the "full-blown" response plan need to be implemented? After this is resolved then: Items listed below are part of the agenda for the CRT meeting set by the principal.
- Who will be present in selected/all first period classes?
- Who will address teachers' meeting before school?
- Who will staff the counseling center?
- Who will cover other locations in building (library, cafeteria, gym, hallways)?
- Schedule after school and continuing meetings for all.
Step 1
- Verify factual information with the appropriate authorities. Work up a fact sheet to be shared with building personnel. Review information with parents, as appropriate, prior to sharing information with others.
- Inform necessary school personnel (Superintendent, building principal) that a critical incident has occurred.
- Consult Crisis Communication Guidelines
Step 2
Step 3
- Contact staff members via phone tree. Only share as needed information (event that occurred, when the meeting will be, and consider sensitivity to staff members.
- Brief secretary in handling calls and requests for information.
- If appropriate, determine what school resources (buses, school gym, etc.) can be used in the event according to board policy.
Step 4
Create an agenda for CRT meeting. Remember to cover facts of the event, determine how information will be shared with students and families sample letter home, sample letter #2, sample letter #3, create an announcement for students, discuss funeral and memorial arrangements, and removal of student possessions. Other topics are also included in this sample agenda.
Step 5
Lead the early morning staff meeting. Topics to cover may include sharing facts about the event, discussing the school day schedule, how to handle media, and review procedures for first hour of the day. Other topics may be included in this sample agenda.
Step 6
Designate an appropriate person to contact family to offer support.
Step 7
Schedule an informational meeting at the end of the day for staff to share experiences, reactions and other important information from the day’s events.
Step 8
- In the days following the event, begin to bring closure by encouraging teachers to resume regular classroom activities as quickly as is appropriate. Teacher tips
- Encourage teachers and other staff members to refer students who may still be at risk to a support network which could include guidance staff, peer groups, family or religious affiliation. Grief response resource
Teacher
Step 1
Attend all mandatory staff meetings and review all important information taking all direction from administrators and CRT
Step 2
Announce facts and explain, using accurate information, "to the best of our knowledge” at that time. They may be read from a statement distributed at the teachers' meeting Addressing Grief: Tips for Teachers, How to: Help Students Deal with Grief and Loss
Step 3
- Contact a CRT member for assistance in response to students’ needs
- Announce to students there will be support available
- Pay added attention to students who may be at risk due to close relationships with those involved in the incident; who have experienced similar incidents in the past; or students who seem particularly upset, agitated, or withdrawn
Step 4
Consider adjusting lesson plans and daily routine.
Step 5
- Allow yourself an opportunity to process what has happened during the day
- Utilize a support system yourself
Step 6
Following the event be aware of students who still may be at risk and share concerns with the administrators
Parent
Student
Crisis Response Team Member
The CRT should assemble prior to the staff meeting to: Share updated factual information, preview staff meeting format and discuss procedures for day.
Sometime between the initial telephone contact and the morning teachers' meeting, some specific logistics need to be agreed upon. Initially, to what extent does the "full-blown" response plan need to be implemented? After this is resolved then: Items listed below are part of the agenda for the CRT meeting set by the principal.
- Who will be present in selected/all first period classes?
- Who will address teachers' meeting before school?
- Who will staff the counseling center?
- Who will cover other locations in building (library, cafeteria, gym, hallways)?
- Schedule after school and continuing meetings for all.
Checklist
- Assign CRT lead.
- Attend all mandatory meetings.
- Serve as a resource to staff members who may need assistance in conducting their classroom discussions or have questions of their own (Resource: Varied responses to grief by age group).
- Assign roles; e.g., first period class discussion, assistance in crisis center, hall patrol, media contact, etc.
- Assist in identifying high risk students and staff (either present at school or absent) who may need immediate support.
- Follow up with students identified as high risk, contact parents as necessary.
- Work with small groups or individually with students and staff.
- Determine if more resources are needed.
- Follow up within one week of incident to assess need for further support.
Violent Intruder
Contacts
Please contact a member of your district's Navigator Team or refer to our specialized services directory.