Dr. James McDougal, a co-author of the BIMAS-2 assessment and owner of the Multi-Tiered Support Network, has been working toward improved student mental health for a long time. With a background in mental health, Jim began working with the Syracuse City School District in 1990. He gravitated toward helping students with social-emotional and behavioral difficulties for the majority of his career, publishing multiple research papers on the topic.
The Mental Health Problem
Jim came to realize that there was plenty of research about what practices could work to promote better student outcomes, but very few schools were implementing programs to achieve them. Additionally, the majority of school responses to behaviorally challenged students were to discipline, exclude, or react negatively. This does little to promote positive changes, and can even exacerbate the issues.
Positive Promotion Rather Than Negative Reaction
The need for proactive intervention programs is immense. Jim saw that the research indicated schools should be promoting positive outcomes through social-emotional learning that teaches coping skills and early screening tools rather than waiting for problems to occur and then reacting negatively. This idea helped form the genesis of the BIMAS-2 assessment system, a comprehensive early screening tool that helps identify children facing behavioral difficulties. Combined with a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), the concept of “positive psychology” can promote better outcomes than negative reactions.
Fortunately, according to Jim, the tide is starting to turn. The interest in children’s mental health is growing, especially among school administrators. Additionally, many superintendents across New York identified mental health as the number one issue their students were facing.
The Importance of Data
Another piece of the student mental health puzzle is accurate data. Intervention programming should only be implemented when the data is understood. This is an important function of the BIMAS-2 assessment. Jim believes that research-based practices are the most effective, and this kind of screening tool can equip districts with accurate data that can inform their decision-making.
Learn More About a Multi-Tiered System of Supports
MTSS encompasses the various practices of a district that promote better student outcomes. The various tiers are aimed at fostering mental health for the whole student body, groups of at-risk students, and the individual.
As the owner of the Multi-Tiered Support Network, Jim created an opportunity for schools to learn how to implement effective programming to care for their students. By collaborating with this network of professionals in the child psychology and mental health space, districts can create plans that will support stronger outcomes for all their students.