VCU Invests in Research Bolsters K-12 Student Mental Health Support

VCU Invests in Research to Help Bolster K-12 Student Mental Health Support in Virginia Public Schools

August 23, 2023

Two pioneering research initiatives designed to help fortify student mental health support in K-12 schools have secured prestigious funding awards from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

"Enhancing Assessment of MTSS Fidelity and Effectiveness for K-12 Student Mental Health Support in Virginia Schools" aligns with the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan as the project aims to enrich the human experience and help achieve a just and equitable society. This project has been granted $198,964 from the VCU Breakthroughs Fund.

Led by a transdisciplinary team of co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs), the research team includes Dr. David Naff (Co-PI; School of Education; Department of Foundations of Education; Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium); Dr. Chin-Chih Chen (Co-PI; School of Education; Department of Counseling and Special Education); Dr. Jodie Sorraco (Co-PI; Director of VTSS-RIC); and Dr. Sunny Shin (Co-PI; Social Work and Department of Psychiatry; MCV).

This grant represents another milestone for the transdisciplinary co-PI team, known for its history of impactful research in collaboration with local school divisions and the Virginia Tiered Systems of Support Research Implementation Center (VTSS-RIC). Their collaborative efforts have led to publications addressing student mental health needs since the onset of the pandemic and strategies for effective intervention.

The project addresses the escalating mental health needs in PK-12 schools in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative focuses on the Multi-tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS), a framework designed to extend comprehensive assistance to students across varying levels of need. The team’s work focuses on enhancing mental health support through MTSS within diverse school contexts.

The project aligns with the university's Strategic Research Plan Initiatives by addressing the goals of enhancing the human experience and achieving a just and equitable society. The team’s goals include producing strategies and recommendations for improving MTSS policies and practices for student mental health support based on regional survey data, peer-reviewed scholarship, and educator input.

The study aims to develop a theory of change model for successful MTSS implementation and assessment. It involves phases of literature review, faculty and staff surveys, and advisory council meetings to develop and refine strategies for implementing MTSS effectively and assessing its fidelity in different school contexts.

“The VTSS-RIC plays a pivotal role in this research, assisting schools and divisions in the effective implementation of MTSS. Yet, a gap remains in assessing the fidelity of MTSS implementation related to student mental health support, particularly in racially segregated and high-poverty school settings,” said Lisa Abrams, Ph.D., professor and interim associate dean of research and faculty development at the VCU School of Education.

To bridge this gap, the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC), a partnership between the VCU School of Education and five metropolitan Richmond school divisions, embarked on a proactive approach. A study commissioned in 2021 in response to the pandemic's impact on mental health has led MERC to undertake a regional survey to understand the emotional and professional capacity of faculty and staff in addressing students' mental health needs.

"The recognition and financial support from the VCU Breakthroughs Fund are invaluable in advancing student mental health support in Virginia. Through our community-engaged approach, aiming to enhance mental health support for students from minoritized racial and ethnic backgrounds and low socioeconomic status, this research can make a lasting impact in Virginia and beyond,” said Dr. Abrams. "The project will help advance MTSS-based mental health support and broader conversations about building more equitable and effective education systems. As schools continue grappling with challenges brought about by the pandemic, this initiative offers hope for improved mental health support in K-12 education.”

VCU Transformative Learning Fund Supports PK12 Mental Health, a Vertically Integrated Project

Additionally, the "Supporting PK12 Mental Health" project has received nearly $11,000 from the VCU Transformative Learning Fund. This project bolsters undergraduate student engagement in faculty-led research projects focusing on solutions to societal challenges.

Principal investigators for "Supporting PK12 Mental Health" include Dr. Naff (Co-PI; VCU School of Education; Department of Foundations of Education; Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium) and Dr. Shenita Williams (Co-PI, VCU School of Social Work, Director of Field Education and an Assistant Professor in Teaching).

Leveraging the infrastructure of the MERC in partnership with the VCU School of Social Work, this project aims to integrate the efforts of undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students in a research study centered on mental health support in PK-12 schools.

Vertically Integrated Projects involve students from diverse communities in VCU's research mission while supporting their success. This approach aligns with VCU's pursuit of becoming a model university where research excellence and equity are intertwined, and transformative learning engages every student intentionally.

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