Policy Research, Inc. and the National Center for Youth Opportunity and Justice have launched the School Responder Model Virtual Toolbox, a web-based tool. This virtual toolbox is designed to help schools and communities access helpful resources related to implementing a school responder model. A school responder model is a framework designed to identify students with behavioral health conditions, connect them with relevant clinical services, and keep them in school and out of the juvenile justice system.
The Virtual Toolbox offers resources and support for those new to and experienced with the school responder model framework. For those new to the school responder model, the Virtual Toolbox offers introductory materials detailing this work’s rationale and importance. For those currently implementing a school responder model and seeking to improve or enhance their practices, resources to help support existing structures are provided.
The Virtual Toolbox is designed to succinctly describe and offer resources on each of the four core components of a school responder model:
- Cross-systems collaboration
- Family and youth engagement
- Behavioral response and implementation
- Policies and formal structures
Similarly, resources that support increased awareness of and strategies for applying the guiding principles for school responder models are included, centered around restorative approaches, self-care and wellness, trauma-informed practices, and school-community alignment.
This resource was first shared in 2020.
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