News & Resources

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Archives

Check out our archive of past resources and news below. Use the filters to narrow down the topic you are interested in learning about.

  • Natural Hacks for a Happier Brain

    Published on: April 5, 2024

    While some stress is unavoidable, coping with the stress that comes our way is within our power by hacking our brain for better mood! There are four brain chemicals that rule our emotional outlook - Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphin - often called by their acronym as the DOSE chemicals.

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  • Alternative to Suspension Workshops from Cancer Pathways

    Published on: February 29, 2024

    Using curricula from the American Lung Association, Cancer Pathways personnel who are trained in health education and nicotine cessation deliver two separate programs, via Zoom, to students outside the Seattle area (where they prefer to administer in-person workshops).

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  • Friends for Life: Prevent Overdose

    Published on: February 29, 2024

    The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) has launched the Friends for Life fentanyl awareness and prevention campaign. The Friends for Life campaign ​seeks to inform and educate people, including youth aged 12 and up, about illicit fentanyl, how to help teens avoid opioids like fentanyl, how to spot and respond to an opioid overdose, and how to use naloxone.

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  • Bring Parents’ Night Out to Your Students’ Parents and Other Caregivers

    Published on: February 29, 2024

    Parents’ Night Out is a FREE educational session for parents and other caregivers, and is part of the Talk. They Hear You. campaign of the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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  • Prescription Drug Safety: Know the Truth for Grades 8-12

    Published on: February 29, 2024

    Available in the FREE digital platform EverFi from Everbaud and supported by Truth, Prescription Drug Safety: Know the Truth consists of eight lessons intended for grades 8 - 12.

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  • Resource: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

    Published on: January 29, 2024

    Among the numerous organizations that observe Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month each February, Love is Respect is one; its Youth Council chose as the 2024 theme Love Like That.

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  • Resource: Love Is Respect

    Published on: January 29, 2024

    Love is Respect is an online resource for older teens and young adults. Its primary focus is on intimate partner relationships with emphasis on “being on the same page” with one’s partner regarding definitions, boundaries and consent, “an ongoing mutual agreement between partners about what they want to experience.”

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  • EverFi Character Playbook: Building Healthy Relationships

    Published on: January 29, 2024

    Character Playbook is a digital course, sponsored by the NFL, that teaches students how to establish healthy relationships with their peers and navigate complex social interactions.

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  • Resource: Teen Health Hub WA

    Published on: January 3, 2024

    The Washington State Department of Health has recently published a new webpage, Teen Health Hub WA, or The Hub. Created by the Department of Health Adolescent and Young Adult Health Team, in consultation with teens and young adults in Washington State, including a dedicated Youth Advisory Board, the page is designed for continuous expansion.

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  • How Do Hobbies Help Mental Health?

    Published on: January 3, 2024

    Whether through involvement in extracurricular student groups, in-school enrichment opportunities, or classes such as art and shop, students can benefit greatly from learning skills that are applicable to hobbies at home – both now while they are in school and in their futures as adults.

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  • Video: Explained to Kids – Mental Health, Mind and Heart Wellness

    Published on: January 3, 2024

    This video would be great to share with children in elementary grades and their parents! Explained to Kids: Mental Health, Mind & Heart Wellness, from Shandy Clinic, is only one minute and thirty seconds in length. Its approach is positive and prevention-oriented.

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  • 35 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Family Members During the Holidays

    Published on: November 14, 2023

    The article, 35 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Family Members During the Holidays, written by Melissa Boudin, PsyD and reviewed by Kristen Fuller, MD, was published by Choosing Therapy on October 17, 2023. We have listed the 35 tips shared by the authors, and hope you will visit Choosing Therapy to read the expansion of each for yourself.

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  • Holiday Stress Reduction Strategies

    Published on: November 14, 2023

    By combining advice from the American Psychiatric Association and the Mayo Clinic Health System, we have generated the following list of holiday stress reduction strategies you might use yourself and encourage your parents and older students to use.

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  • Video: Reducing Holiday Stress in Kids

    Published on: November 14, 2023

    This video, Reducing Holiday Stress in Kids, two minutes and sixteen seconds in length, from Eugene Pediatric Associates, would be great to share with parents of your students!

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  • Tips for Working Together for Child Safety: Child Protective Services & School Personnel

    Published on: November 5, 2023

    Learn how Child Protective Services of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) investigates concerns of possible child abuse and neglect, and how school personnel can engage with CPS and DCYF.

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  • Service Learning

    Published on: November 5, 2023

    As we enter the holiday season, it may be a good time to consider conducting a unit of service learning in your classroom. For secondary students, a service learning unit might begin before the Thanksgiving break and continue until the semester ends late in January. For elementary students, a unit of service learning that begins upon students’ return from their Thanksgiving break and ends just before Winter Break may be enough.

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  • Video: The Science of Gratitude

    Published on: November 5, 2023

    This two-minute video, The Science of Gratitude, emphasizes the physical, mental, emotional and social benefits of practicing gratitude. Ten sources of further information are listed at the end of the video.

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  • Resource: Bullying Hurts Video and Discussion Guide

    Published on: October 6, 2023

    This video, Bullying Hurts, was submitted to Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center as an entry in the Center's Students with Solutions contest: Engaging students to learn about bullying prevention through art, writing, and video production.

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  • Resource: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network on Bullying

    Published on: October 6, 2023

    The NCTSN was created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children’s Health Act. According to the NCTSN website their "mission is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States."

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  • Resource: Updated Partner Toolkit for 988

    Published on: September 11, 2023

    The United States Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced earlier this year the release of its updated 988 Partner Toolkit.

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  • Resource: Choose You

    Published on: June 15, 2023

    Learn more about the Choose You campaign launched by the Washington State Department of Health in April of 2023.

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  • Curriculum: You and Me Together, Vape Free

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    You and Me Together, Vape Free, part of Stanford Medicine’s Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, is a free, theory-based and evidence-informed curriculum.

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  • Resource: This Is Quitting

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    The Truth Initiative was founded in 1999 as the American Legacy Foundation, dedicated to ending tobacco use among youth and young adults. 

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  • Resource: The Truth – It’s a Breath of Stress Air

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    The Truth: It’s a Breath of Stress Air is an online program directed to teens and designed to assist them in vaping cessation.

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  • Resource: Teen Intervene Fourth Edition

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    The Teen Intervene educational program is designed for youth ages 12 - 19 “who display the early stages of substance use problems.”

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  • Resource: Smokefree Teen – Quit Vaping Tools

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    Smokefree Teen is part of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Smokefree.gov Initiative. The goal of Smokefree Teen is to reduce the number of youth who use tobacco.

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  • Curriculum: Know the Risks Field Trip

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    For this very special Virtual Field Trip, join Discovery Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine the science behind e-cigarettes and the impact they can have on teenagers’ health and well-being.

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  • American Lung Association: INDEPTH

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    INDEPTH stands for Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health. The teaching materials are free of charge, but accessible only after completing the online INDEPTH Facilitator Training, also free of charge.

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  • Stanford Medicine’s Healthy Futures Alternative to Suspension

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    For students who have been caught vaping, or who have expressed a desire to stop vaping, Healthy Futures Alternative to Suspension Curricula, part of Stanford Medicine’s Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, includes four options, each covering: Health Effects, Your Brain, Messaging, and Costs

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  • Resource: FDA Tobacco Education Resource Library

    Published on: June 12, 2023

    The Tobacco Education Resource Library from the United States Food and Drug Administration offers three lesson plans designed for grades 6 - 12. These are variously aligned to Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Math, and to Next Generation Science Standards.

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  • Resource: American Academy of Pediatrics

    Published on: April 25, 2023

    Building Blocks for Healthy Self Esteem in Kids, from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), via its parent website healthychildren.org, defines “self esteem” as “the way we perceive ourselves,” and tells us that self esteem influences resilience, relationships, motivation, and achievements.

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  • Resource: iChill – A FREE App from the Trauma Resource Institute

    Published on: April 24, 2023

    Imagine having - right at your fingertips - a list of small actions you could take to calm yourself, or to energize yourself, as needed! With iChill, a FREE app from the Trauma Resource Institute, you, or anyone with internet access, can have exactly that!

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  • Resource: Mental Health America (MHA) – May is Mental Health Month

    Published on: April 24, 2023

    Mental Health America started Mental Health Month in 1949. Each year, the non-profit organization creates and releases a Mental Health Month toolkit.

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  • Video: Break the Stigma Around Children’s Mental Health

    Published on: April 24, 2023

    Show this video to your colleagues, your students and their parents! This video from Children’s Hospital Colorado explains mental health stigma as a remnant.

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  • Curated Links for May 2023 – Mental Health

    Published on: April 24, 2023

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; May includes links to excellent mental health resources

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  • Resource: Wellness Event Guide by NCESD

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    Check out NCESD's new Wellness Event Guide and be sure to bookmark it! The guide includes things like checklists, timelines, templates, and more to help you host your own Wellness Event in your school.

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  • Resource: What About Stress?

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    While much of our work focuses on prevention, this month’s emphasis on stress will NOT focus on preventing stress! Why not? These videos from Mental Health Literacy answers this question beautifully!

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  • Resource: The American Psychological Association (APA) on Stress

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    The American Psychological Association (APA) has devoted numerous articles to the topic of stress, including the chronic stress effects on the body, the difference between stress and anxiety, and how to handle life stressors.

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  • Resource: Seven Ways to Have a Healthier Relationship With Stress

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    Drawn from a new book, The Stress Prescription, by health psychologist and researcher Elissa Epel, Jill Suttie’s article Seven Ways to Have a Healthier Relationship With Stress includes a few strategies that may be fresh and new to you.

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  • Curriculum: Free Lesson Plans on Stress for K-12

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    KidsHealth in the Classroom has a variety of resources to help youth grasp foundational concepts about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years.

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  • Resource: Stress Resources from TeenMentalHealth.org

    Published on: March 23, 2023

    TeenMentalHealth.org has a variety of mental health resources, including "Understanding the Stress Response" and "Learning How to Use Daily Stress to Develop Resilience"

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  • Curriculum: Lesson Plans on Stress for Grades 7 – 12 from YouthSMART

    Published on: March 22, 2023

    Busting Stress: Stress Management Lesson Plans for Grade 7-12 by YouthSMART, an initiative from the Canadian Mental Health Association - Calgary Region.

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  • Curated Links for April 2023 – Stress

    Published on: March 22, 2023

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; April's resources are about managing stress for both children and adults.

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  • Resource: National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

    Published on: February 24, 2023

    Launched by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 2010, National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week promotes discussion of drug use and addiction science.

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  • Curriculum: Lesson Plans and Activities on Substance Abuse From NIDA

    Published on: February 24, 2023

    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the lead federal agency supporting scientific research on drug use and addition. We've collected a variety of lesson plans and acitives from NIDA for grades 5-12.

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  • Resource: Talk. They Hear You.

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    SAMHSA has created a campaign called Talk. They Hear You. Among the campaign's resources for schools and educators, community partners and parents and caregivers is the FREE mobile app.

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  • Curriculum: Substance Abuse Prevention (Grades 3-12)

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    Created by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Discovery Education, Operation Prevention is an inquiry-based program, intended for touth ages 8 - 18, parents, and workforce members.

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  • Curriculum: Substance Misuse Expansion Lessons (Grades K-8)

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    The authors intended that the Substance Misuse Expansion Lessons would stand alone in Grades K, 1, 2, 3, and 4, but would follow the Catch My Breath Vaping Prevention curriculum in Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8.

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  • Curriculum: Catch My Breath (Grades 5-12)

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    CATCH My Breath’s peer-led teaching approach empowers students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about e-cigarettes and resist social pressures to vape.

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  • Substance Use Resources Introduction

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    An introduction to resources from the March 2023 newsletter about substance abuse prevention. The information in the introduction provides best practices in implementation.

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  • Curated Links for March 2023

    Published on: February 23, 2023

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; March's resources are about substance abuse prevention.

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  • Resource: Healthy Relationships Toolkit

    Published on: January 19, 2023

    The Healthy Relationship Toolkit, adapted from Safe Dates, teaches communication and conflict resolution skills, challenges gender stereotypes and includes an extensive list of feeling words.

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  • Curated Links for January 2023

    Published on: December 15, 2022

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; January's resources are about general mental health care.

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  • Resource: Classroom WISE and CIE-WISE

    Published on: December 13, 2022

    A FREE, six-module training series, Classroom WISE (Well-Being Information and Strategies for Educators), is now available to help educators create safe and supportive learning environments for students, and to respond appropriately when mental health concerns become evident.

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  • Resource: MentalHealth.gov

    Published on: December 13, 2022

    The U. S. Department of Health & Human Services maintains a comprehensive Mental Health website that includes a definition of mental health, a discussion of common myths surrounding mental health, descriptions of numerous mental health disorders and several ways of getting help for mental health disorders.

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  • Resource: Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide

    Published on: December 13, 2022

    The Mental Health & High School Curriculum is a FREE resource available to educators for teaching concepts of mental health to students in grades 9 and 10.

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  • An Emerging Best Practice – Universal Mental Health Screening (Part 4)

    Published on: December 12, 2022

    In Part Four, Shelley will describe some of the logistics necessary to ensure successful implementation of a UMHS event and provide three critical resources to support UMHS implementation.

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  • Unity Day Observances Around the Region

    Published on: November 21, 2022

    Throughout our North Central region, in various creative and memorable ways, schools observed Unity Day, a day to celebrate kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

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  • Curated Links for December 2022

    Published on: November 16, 2022

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; December resources are focus on managing stress.

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  • How to Help Students Deal with Holiday Stress

    Published on: November 16, 2022

    Ideas on how adults who interact with students can help those who may be faced with stressful, and sometimes dangerous, situations during holiday breaks.

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  • The Seven Most Common Issues Families Have Around the Holidays

    Published on: November 16, 2022

    Seven common issues families may experience during the holidays and how you can set a peaceful example and avoid upsetting others.

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  • How to Prevent Holiday Stress and Anxiety in Children

    Published on: November 16, 2022

    By employing stress management strategies, adults can set a calm example and keep the home or school environment peaceful.

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  • Tips for Coping with Stress During the Holidays

    Published on: November 16, 2022

    The Mayo Clinic, encourages us to “take control of the holidays” by acting in advance to avoid stress and depression, and by planning toward peace and joy.

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  • Curated Links for November 2022

    Published on: October 26, 2022

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; November resources are focused on kindness and gratitude.

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  • Introducing Gratitude Into the Classroom

    Published on: October 25, 2022

    Introduce gratitude into the classroom with a Gratitude Journal activity for students. Learn about the activity and get inspiration with some guiding discussion questions.

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  • November is Transgender Awareness Month

    Published on: October 25, 2022

    Recommendations on how educators and other school personnel can best support youth who are transgender. Information from interview with Light Estrada Gonzalez.

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  • Learn About Kindness in the Classroom©

    Published on: October 25, 2022

    Kindness in the Classroom© is a free social-emotional learning curriculum from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK). There are resources available for grades PK-12.

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  • An Emerging Best Practice – Universal Mental Health Screening (Part 3)

    Published on: October 25, 2022

    Explore the important preparation for success - developing your school’s WHY, the rationale for Universal Mental Health Screening (UMHS) in your community.

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  • Video: Standing Together to Prevent Bullying (US Department of Health and Human Services)

    Published on: October 12, 2022

    In this poignant video, less than two minutes in length, US Surgeon General Dr. Murthy speaks out about the prevalence and harmful consequences – to all involved: persons who bully, persons targeted, and witnesses – of bullying behavior.

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  • An Emerging Best Practice – Universal Mental Health Screening (Part 2)

    Published on: October 10, 2022

    Shelley outlines the initial steps critical to implementing your first UMHS - working with your school team and community mental health partners to prepare for your event.

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  • Hope Squad: Structured Peer Support

    Published on: October 10, 2022

    Hope Squad is an evidence- and research-based, peer-support program shown to improve school culture, destigmatize mental health challenges, and, ultimately, to save lives.

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  • Bullying Prevention and Intervention

    Published on: October 10, 2022

    Would you like to help students assess their own behavior in regard to bullying? Have they at times been bullied? Have they witnessed bullying? Have they bullied others?

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  • Curated Links for October 2022

    Published on: October 10, 2022

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; December resources are focus on bullying prevention.

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  • How to Calm or Confirm Your Concerns

    Published on: September 19, 2022

    A variety of resources like the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions toolkit to evaluate whether a student is at suicide risk. Other resources include Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale.

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  • An Emerging Best Practice – Universal Mental Health Screening (Part 1)

    Published on: September 19, 2022

    An introduction to Universal Mental Health Screening (UMHS), an emerging best practice similar to other school-based health screenings, like scoliosis, BMI, vision, and hearing.

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  • Curated Links for September 2022

    Published on: September 19, 2022

    A list of curated resources aligned with the NCESD Behavioral Health team’s monthly email newsletter; September resources are focus on suicide prevention.

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  • Resource: Model District Template for Recognition, Screening and Response

    Published on: September 10, 2022

    OSPI's Model District Template for Student Social, Emotional, and Behavioral, and Mental Health Recognition, Screening, and Response document is intended to provide a template to district and building administrators and student support professionals.

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  • Resource: TeacherWISE

    Published on: September 10, 2022

    TeacherWISE is a 6-hour self-paced online training to support teacher self-care and classroom climate from the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland.

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  • Resource: Seize the Awkward

    Published on: September 10, 2022

    Seize the Awkward may be an ideal first step in preparing a class, club, or entire student body for focused suicide prevention activities.

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  • Resource: Crisis Lines

    Published on: September 10, 2022

    Help is Available 24/7! Share these numbers with students, parents and colleagues: 988 Suicide and Crisis Line, Crisis Text Line 741741, Teen Link, and Teen Line.

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  • Resource: Monthly Happiness Calendar

    Published on: September 9, 2022

    A resource to support our school staff’s well-being is the Happiness Calendar. Each month a new daily calendar for a month of activities intended to encourage adults to focus on their own well-being and also that of their community.

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  • Resource: The 2×10 Strategy

    Published on: September 6, 2022

    The 2x10 Strategy is a research-based strategy to build an authentic relationship and decrease negative classroom behaviors.

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