29 min
Episode 10 - Dr. Jacqui Springer: Returning to School from Hospitalization Mental Health Goes to School
-
- Mental Health
Candida and Jo-Ann talk with Dr. Jacqui Springer, Assistant Dean for Student Support and Advocacy Services at the University of Rhode Island. Our discussion focuses on the transition back to school from hospitalization or partial hospitalization for mental health treatment.
In most cases, the need for a higher level of care for a student does not come as a surprise - there is usually some sort of buildup. There may or may not be a precipitating event, but educators and school staff observe that the student is struggling more than usual.
Dr. Springer reviews some considerations that can help the school and caregivers prepare even before hospitalization is needed. One key question to ask is ” What would it look like to have a higher level of care? What would it mean for school”? Other information to have would be who is the person or office within the school or district that is holding the information to help make a plan moving forward. Who can help the caregivers and navigate the systems to allow communication between the school and the hospital?
One of the difficulties with the hospital-to-school transition is that at the time of hospital discharge, while the patient/student may no longer meet medical criteria for hospitalization, they may not be ready to return to school, at least full time and/or full demand One way schools can help with the gray area is to have a multi-disciplinary team that focuses on student transition back to school. Most schools will have some students who are hospitalized or transitioning back to school at any given time. While it may not be easy to keep such a team due to the many demands on educators’ and administrators’ time and energy, a planful approach to this situation could help students, caregivers, and school staff in the long run.
Dr. Springer pointed us to the BIRCh (Behavioral Health Integrated Services for Children) Project, based at UMass- Boston, UMass - Amherst, and Boston Children’s Hospital. The project is evidence-based and offers graduate-level training opportunities as well as training for educators.
The BIRCh Project
https://www.umb.edu/birch/about/
University of Rhode Island
https://www.uri.edu/
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
https://www.aacap.org/
UMass Boston
https://www.umb.edu/
Boston Children's Hospital
https://www.childrenshospital.org/
UMass Amherst
https://www.umass.edu/
---
If you enjoy our content, please like and follow - and review if you can!
Candida and Jo-Ann talk with Dr. Jacqui Springer, Assistant Dean for Student Support and Advocacy Services at the University of Rhode Island. Our discussion focuses on the transition back to school from hospitalization or partial hospitalization for mental health treatment.
In most cases, the need for a higher level of care for a student does not come as a surprise - there is usually some sort of buildup. There may or may not be a precipitating event, but educators and school staff observe that the student is struggling more than usual.
Dr. Springer reviews some considerations that can help the school and caregivers prepare even before hospitalization is needed. One key question to ask is ” What would it look like to have a higher level of care? What would it mean for school”? Other information to have would be who is the person or office within the school or district that is holding the information to help make a plan moving forward. Who can help the caregivers and navigate the systems to allow communication between the school and the hospital?
One of the difficulties with the hospital-to-school transition is that at the time of hospital discharge, while the patient/student may no longer meet medical criteria for hospitalization, they may not be ready to return to school, at least full time and/or full demand One way schools can help with the gray area is to have a multi-disciplinary team that focuses on student transition back to school. Most schools will have some students who are hospitalized or transitioning back to school at any given time. While it may not be easy to keep such a team due to the many demands on educators’ and administrators’ time and energy, a planful approach to this situation could help students, caregivers, and school staff in the long run.
Dr. Springer pointed us to the BIRCh (Behavioral Health Integrated Services for Children) Project, based at UMass- Boston, UMass - Amherst, and Boston Children’s Hospital. The project is evidence-based and offers graduate-level training opportunities as well as training for educators.
The BIRCh Project
https://www.umb.edu/birch/about/
University of Rhode Island
https://www.uri.edu/
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
https://www.aacap.org/
UMass Boston
https://www.umb.edu/
Boston Children's Hospital
https://www.childrenshospital.org/
UMass Amherst
https://www.umass.edu/
---
If you enjoy our content, please like and follow - and review if you can!
29 min