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Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative: Pinellas County, Florida

Publication Link 85kk pdf

Keywords:

Safe Schools/Healthy Students education mental health capacity building prevention intervention evaluation barriers to learning healthy development Pinellas psychologists clinical services program evaluation staff training parent advocacy

Contact:

Kathleen Hague Armstrong

Abstract

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative in Pinellas County, FL, emerged as a part of a broader local effort to implement creative educational and mental health programs to support children and families. This initiative focused on capacity building, prevention, and intervention efforts and comprehensive evaluation to address the barriers to learning and enhance healthy development. This article describes Pinellas County's plan, and highlights the instrumental roles played by school psychologists, which included grant writing, program and resource coordination, clinical services, program evaluation, staff training, parent advocacy, and steering committee membership. Promising outcomes and generalization of these findings to other communities is also discussed.

Citation

Armstrong, K. H., Massey, O. T., Boroughs, M., Bailey, R., & LaJoie, D. (2003). Safe schools/healthy students initiative: Pinellas County, Florida. Psychology in the Schools, 40(5), 489-501.