For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

John Crocker, M.Ed., Director of School Mental Health & Behavioral Services, Methuen Public Schools/Founder and Director, Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium

Description

Attendees will be engaged in discussion, activities, and reflection to enhance their knowledge of systems level considerations that impact the development of a comprehensive school mental health system (CSMHS). Each session will focus on a specific theme relevant to the current state of school mental health implementation in Massachusetts and beyond. Additionally, each session will include an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles of building a comprehensive school mental health system.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must attend all 5 sessions and successfully pass a quiz following Session 5. Following the live webinar, registrants will be emailed a link to view the recorded webinar. The recording will be made available for 7 days after each session.

Attendees will learn about the importance of distinguishing between curricular and practice driven approaches at Tier I and how to best leverage both approaches to maximize Tier I supports. Additionally, participants will be engaged in a discussion regarding the distinction between SEL and mental health literacy, including how these different but related concepts can bolster universal supports. A discussion of the new comprehensive health frameworks will also be offered. The session will close with an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles for building a CSMHS.

Attendees will learn about considerations for measuring the efficacy of Tier I support efforts and the challenges associated with determining the fidelity of implementation at Tier I. The presenter will also provide insights regarding creating data systems to monitor students across tiers of support, establishing referral systems, and adopting measurement-based care practices, including collection and use of these data to inform counseling interventions. The session will close with an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles for building a CSMHS.

Attendees will be introduced to techniques and strategies to develop quantitative counseling goals and service delivery plans that align with evidence-based therapeutic practice in IEPs. The presenter will discuss shifting mindsets and developing structures to support a shift toward evidence-based counseling practice in IEPs, including discussing the implications of moving away from traditional goals and service delivery plans. The session will close with an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles for building a CSMHS.

The presenter will set the stage for how schools and districts can shift mindsets to foster an appreciation for the adoption of evidence-based counseling practice, including reflecting on the subject matter knowledge requirements for the DESE licensed specialized instructional support personnel roles (school counselors, school adjustment counselors/ school social workers, and school psychologists), staffing model considerations, and the implications of a lack of clinical leadership and supervision. Specific practices that foster quality services, including clinical documentation (treatment planning, case formulation, and progress monitoring data) will be discussed. Attendees will also be provided with information to inform the development of systems to support staff readiness to deliver evidence-based counseling services. The session will close with an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles for building a CSMHS.

Attendees will be provided with information and resources to support efforts to establish stakeholder advisory groups and partnerships with community-based mental health organizations. Additionally, the topic of addressing secondary traumatic stress in schools will be discussed and resources to support staff in managing STS will be offered. The session will close with an open forum to discuss one of the five guiding principles for building a CSMHS.

About the Speaker
John Crocker, M.Ed.

John Crocker (he/him) has worked in public education for fifteen years, primarily as the administrator for the Methuen Public Schools Counseling Department. He has overseen the planning and implementation of the “Mental Health Initiative,” which has focused on the establishment of a comprehensive school mental health system (CSMHS) in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH). John has worked with the NCSMH as a member of the National School Mental Health Task Force and as the Massachusetts team leader for the National Coalition for the State Advancement of School Mental Health (NCSA-SMH).

In his role as the director of school mental health & behavioral services, he is charged with overseeing the district-wide implementation and evaluation of Methuen’s CSMHS and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). His work has focused on developing a district-wide system of universal mental health screening, advancing the use of psychosocial data to inform school mental health staff’s therapeutic practice, and the development and evaluation of the CSMHS in Methuen. He has worked to scale up evidence-based therapeutic services across Methuen through the provision of district-wide professional development and the design and implementation of group- and individual-therapy programs.

Mr. Crocker founded the Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium (MASMHC), a group of approximately one-hundred and seventy school districts across Massachusetts committed to advocating for and implementing quality and sustainable school mental health services and supports. Most recently, MASMHC co-led the Massachusetts Collaborative for Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) for Comprehensive School Mental Health, the School Mental Health Leadership Institute, and Thriving Minds, a professional development series focused on building comprehensive school mental health systems. He received the National Center for School Mental Health’s School Mental Health Champion Award in 2018 and was nominated the 2019 Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) Administrator of the Year, the 20-21 Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Counselor of the Year, and the 2021 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Michael J. Kane Wellness Award recipient.

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

 

Register

FREE
MEMBER PRICING
Register Now

If you are seeking to receive CEUs and/or PDPs, please click Register Now. Once you complete the webinar series, you will be able to take quizzes for CEUs and/or PDPs. Upon completion of each quiz, you will receive a certificate.

All sessions are 12:00 – 2:00 pm

  • Session 1: January 13, 2025, Systems Level Considerations at Tier I
  • Session 2: February 3, 2025, Systems Level Considerations to Improve Use of Data
  • Session 3: February 10, 2025, Systems Level Considerations for Special Education Services
  • Session 4: March 3, 2025, Systems Level Considerations for Enhancing Adoption of Evidence-based Counseling Practice
  • Session 5: March 17, 2025, Systems Level Considerations for Supporting and Engaging with Families, Staff, and Community Stakeholders