School counselors are active participants in the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), which provides a structured approach to support the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of all students. MTSS ensures that students receive the appropriate level of support to succeed, and it is based on three levels of intervention:
Tier 1 (Universal Support)
Universal Support is for all students and focuses on awareness, education, and prevention
- Coordinate schoolwide programs and presentations promoting mental health awareness for families, students, and staff on stigma reduction, suicide prevention, trauma-informed practices, and adverse childhood experiences
- Teach classroom instruction on CASEL's five components (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision-making)
- Foster relationships with parents/caregivers, support staff, mentors, and community agencies
- Utilize schoolwide early warning systems to identify students who are disconnected, disengaged, reporting a need for support, and/or exhibiting at-risk behaviors
Tier 2 (Supplemental Support)
Supplemental support is for some students who need an additional level of intervention and instruction
- Develop and utilize responsive interventions such as student safety plans, check-in and check-outs, behavior plans, peer-to-peer support, trauma-informed approaches, etc
- Provide individual/small group psycho-educational counseling to address data-driven needs
- Consult/collaborate with support providers (e.g., nurses, school psychologists, social workers)
- Monitor student’s progress during and after interventions
- Refer to outside resources as appropriate
Tier 3 (Intensive Support)
Intensified support is for a few students who need an additional level of individualized focus to manage their mental health needs
- Conduct crisis response assessments using crisis management protocols
- Provide crisis counseling and short-term solution-focused individual counseling
- Consult/collaborate with support providers (e.g., nurses, school psychologists, social workers) and community agency partners to facilitate student’s transition and/or return to school
- Apply and reinforce trauma-informed practices
- Refer student and family to school-based mental health clinicians or community agency partners for chronic mental/behavioral health-related issues
- Monitor student progress during intervention and post-intervention services