Description:
Trauma-informed practices are Tier 1 approaches that recognize the impact of trauma on student behavior, learning, and relationships. These practices focus on creating safe, predictable, and supportive environments while adapting adult responses to meet the needs of students who may have experienced adversity.
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with this student?”, trauma-informed approaches shift to “What might this student have experienced, and how can we support them?”—ensuring that responses prioritize regulation, connection, and skill-building.
Importance:
A significant number of students experience trauma or chronic stress, which can affect attention, behavior, emotional regulation, and relationships. Without a trauma-informed approach, schools may unintentionally respond to these needs with exclusion or punishment, which can worsen outcomes.
Implementing trauma-informed practices at Tier 1 helps create environments where all students feel safe and supported, reduces re-traumatization, and improves engagement, behavior, and academic success. These practices benefit all students—not just those with identified trauma histories.
Critical Features:
- Focus on safety (physical and emotional): Classrooms are predictable, structured, and free from humiliation or harm
- Consistency and predictability: Clear routines, expectations, and adult responses reduce anxiety and uncertainty
- Relationship-centered approach: Strong, trusting adult-student relationships are prioritized
- Regulation before compliance: Adults support students in calming and regulating before addressing behavior
- Strength-based lens: Staff focus on student strengths and resilience rather than deficits
- Adult awareness and responsiveness: Staff recognize signs of stress/trauma and adjust interactions accordingly
- Avoidance of re-traumatization: Practices minimize triggers such as public shaming, power struggles, or exclusionary discipline
Implementation Tips:
- Start with staff awareness and professional learning on trauma and its impact
- Audit current practices (discipline, routines, environment) for potential triggers or unintended harm
- Align trauma-informed practices with existing PBIS expectations and systems
- Teach and model self-regulation strategies for students (and adults)
- Use calm, neutral, and predictable responses during moments of escalation
- Build in regulation supports (breaks, calm spaces, sensory tools) within classrooms
- Prioritize adult wellness—staff need support to effectively support students
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Foundations of mental health and wellness focus on creating school environments, systems, and practices that promote the social, emotional, and behavioral well-being of all students. At Tier 1, schools establish universal supports that foster belonging, resilience, emotional safety, and positive relationships while reducing barriers to learning and engagement.
These foundations emphasize prevention, wellness promotion, and proactive support within a positive and inclusive school climate.
Importance:
Mental health and wellness are closely connected to student learning, behavior, attendance, and long-term success. When schools proactively support student well-being, students are more likely to feel connected, engaged, and prepared to learn.
Strong Tier 1 foundations support:
- Improved school climate and belonging
- Increased student engagement and emotional safety
- Reduced behavioral and mental health concerns over time
- Greater resilience and coping skills
- More equitable access to supportive environments and practices
Critical Features:
- Positive and inclusive school climate: Students feel safe, valued, and connected
- Relationship-centered practices: Strong adult-student and peer relationships are prioritized
- Universal social-emotional and wellness supports: All students receive access to wellness-promoting practices and instruction
- Prevention-focused systems: Schools proactively address needs before concerns intensify
- Staff awareness and responsiveness: Adults understand how mental health impacts learning and behavior
- Alignment with schoolwide systems: Mental health and wellness efforts integrate with PBIS, SEL, and MTSS frameworks
Implementation Tips:
- Build mental health and wellness into schoolwide goals and improvement planning
- Create predictable, supportive, and relationship-centered environments
- Provide professional learning on student wellness and supportive practices
- Normalize conversations about emotional well-being and help-seeking
- Embed wellness practices into daily routines and instruction
- Include student and family voice when developing wellness initiatives
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Mental health within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) involves integrating social, emotional, and behavioral wellness into a continuum of prevention and intervention supports. At Tier 1, schools establish universal practices and systems that promote mental wellness for all students while creating pathways for additional support when needed.
This integrated approach ensures mental health is embedded within schoolwide systems rather than addressed separately or only after crises occur.
Importance:
Embedding mental health within MTSS helps schools create coordinated, proactive systems that address student needs early and efficiently. When mental health supports are integrated into existing systems, schools can improve access, consistency, and sustainability of supports.
This approach supports:
- Early identification and prevention of concerns
- Better alignment between academic, behavioral, and wellness supports
- Increased efficiency and collaboration among staff
- More equitable access to support systems
- Improved student outcomes across domains
Critical Features:
- Integrated systems and teams: Mental health supports align with PBIS, SEL, attendance, and academic systems
- Tiered continuum of supports: Universal practices are available to all students, with pathways for additional intervention
- Data-based decision-making: Schools use wellness, behavior, attendance, and climate data to guide supports
- Clear referral and support processes: Staff understand how students access additional supports when needed
- Collaborative problem-solving: Teams work together to identify needs and coordinate responses
- Prevention-focused mindset: Universal systems prioritize wellness promotion and early support
Implementation Tips:
- Integrate mental health discussions into existing MTSS and PBIS team structures
- Clarify staff roles and responsibilities related to student wellness supports
- Use multiple data sources to identify schoolwide needs and trends
- Ensure universal supports are accessible and visible throughout the school environment
- Build partnerships between educators, mental health staff, and administrators
- Develop clear pathways for connecting students to additional support when needed
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Prevention and early identification focus on proactively recognizing and responding to emerging social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs before concerns intensify. At Tier 1, schools use universal supports, observation, data review, and screening practices to identify patterns and provide timely support.
These practices emphasize early action, relationship-building, and prevention rather than waiting for crises or significant challenges to occur.
Importance:
Many mental health concerns first emerge during childhood and adolescence. Without early support, these concerns may negatively affect attendance, behavior, academic performance, and overall well-being.
Prevention and early identification practices help:
- Reduce escalation of mental health concerns
- Increase timely access to supports and interventions
- Improve student engagement and school connectedness
- Promote more equitable identification practices
- Strengthen long-term student outcomes
Critical Features:
- Universal prevention practices: Schools create environments that support wellness and belonging for all students
- Use of multiple data sources: Teams review attendance, behavior, climate, wellness, and screening data
- Early warning systems: Schools identify patterns that may indicate emerging concerns
- Staff awareness and responsiveness: Adults recognize signs of stress, withdrawal, or emotional difficulty
- Clear referral pathways: Staff know how to connect students to additional support when concerns arise
- Collaborative problem-solving: Teams work together to review concerns and plan supports
Implementation Tips:
- Train staff to recognize common early warning signs and risk factors
- Use screening and data systems thoughtfully and consistently
- Create clear, supportive referral and follow-up processes
- Emphasize relationship-building and student connection as prevention strategies
- Avoid relying solely on office referrals to identify student needs
- Include family communication and collaboration as part of early support efforts
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Collaboration and partnerships focus on building coordinated relationships among educators, families, mental health professionals, and community organizations to support student well-being. At Tier 1, schools establish collaborative systems that strengthen communication, resource-sharing, and problem-solving related to student mental health and wellness.
These partnerships help schools create more comprehensive, connected, and sustainable support systems for students and families.
Importance:
Student mental health and wellness are influenced by experiences across home, school, and community settings. Schools are more effective when they collaborate with families and community partners to address needs holistically and consistently.
Strong collaboration and partnerships support:
- Improved access to mental health resources and services
- Increased consistency across support systems
- Stronger family-school relationships and trust
- More coordinated responses to student needs
- Greater sustainability of mental health initiatives
Critical Features:
- Collaborative team structures: Schools include diverse stakeholders in planning and decision-making
- Family engagement and partnership: Families are treated as valued partners in supporting student wellness
- Community partnerships: Schools collaborate with mental health agencies and community organizations
- Clear communication systems: Information-sharing processes are consistent and supportive
- Defined roles and responsibilities: Staff and partners understand how they contribute to student support
- Integrated support systems: School and community resources align within MTSS structures
Implementation Tips:
- Establish relationships with community mental health providers before crises occur
- Include families and community voices in planning and improvement efforts
- Develop clear referral and collaboration processes with outside agencies
- Create regular opportunities for cross-disciplinary team collaboration
- Communicate proactively and transparently with families about available supports
- Review partnerships regularly to ensure they are meeting student and family needs
Websites for Additional Information: