Focus on the “Whole Child” with MTSS

·28 min·2 clips

Dr. Gregory Leskin explains how a trauma network partners with educators to support military kids' behavioral health.

The episode begins with host Nikki Harrison introducing the Military Child Education Coalition podcast and thanking the Kiesler Spouses Club for support. Guests Dr. Gregory Leskin, Director for Military and Veteran Families Program at the UCLA Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and Sue Lopez, an instructional designer at MSEC, join to discuss their pre-summit sessions. Dr. Leskin explains his role in partnering with organizations like MSEC to support military-connected students' behavioral health needs. Sue Lopez shares her background and excitement for the upcoming pre-conference on MTSS. Dr. Leskin describes the theme of the 2023 MSEC GTS pre-summit, highlighting a nine-year partnership with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network to integrate behavioral health into military child education. He outlines the sessions on July 24th focusing on emotional well-being through an MTSS lens. The hosts define MTSS as a data-driven public health model for identifying and providing prevention and intervention services in schools. Sue Lopez emphasizes the importance of universal screening and the military student identifier for collecting data on military-connected youth. She explains the tiers of MTSS: Tier 1 for universal supports, Tier 2 for targeted interventions, and Tier 3 for intensive interventions during crisis moments like deployments or moves. Dr. Leskin discusses how different professional roles—educators, counselors, administrators, clinicians—leverage MTSS through their competencies. He stresses coordination across disciplines to create a seamless continuity of care, using tools like the PCS binder to support transitions. The conversation addresses breaking down professional silos to advocate for military-connected students, ensuring they feel supported and do not fall through gaps. In closing, the hosts promote the benefits of attending the pre-summit, where listeners can learn from experts and gain tangible resources for their schools.

As heard by us

A practical look at recognizing military-connected students' needs and coordinating the right level of school support.

Military-connected students can face distinct pressures, especially when deployment and relocation cycles overlap. Nikki Harrison, Dr. Gregory Leskin and Sue Lopez examine how multi-tiered systems of support can help schools recognize those needs.

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Why you'd press play

You will see how universal screening can help schools identify when military-connected students may need a quicker response through tier two or three support.

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