A qualitative study to explore paraprofessionals’ role in school‐based prevention and early intervention mental health services

Abstract

This study explored the role of paraprofessionals within a school-based prevention and early intervention program to promote children's engagement in learning and positive parenting practices. Study aims were designed to understand how paraprofessionals perceive their role in high-need communities and how they define their work within schools. Two focus groups were conducted with school family liaisons (SFLs) during the 2015-2016 school year. Transcribed audio recordings were coded using thematic analysis wherein 2 authors coded independently, followed by audited discussion and final consensus codes. SFLs acknowledged the importance of serving high-need communities and relationship building was central to their role. They leveraged contextual knowledge (culture, language, and neighborhood) to engage parents, allowing them to serve as effective advocates for parents/families in the school setting. Findings support the importance of paraprofessionals in prevention-focused services and highlight how leveraging shared experiences and prioritizing relationship building facilitates their work as advocates within schools.

A Community‐Based Organization Model to Promote Latinx Immigrant Mental Health Through Advocacy Skills and Universal Parenting Supports

“…and enhances the benefits derived from CBO program participation. FMHA acknowledges the critical role that CBO staff play in engagement and relationship building that allows them to tailor supports to respond to the needs of each family (Rusch et al, 2019).…”

“…The reach of more traditional parenting interventions is particularly limited in high poverty communities, which argues for integration of mental health support in everyday interactions with children and families via paraprofessional workforces (Lakind & Atkins, 2018). Our previous research shows that CBO staff are uniquely positioned to leverage their contextual knowledge to increase engagement and support immigrant parents (Gustafson et al, 2018; Rusch, Walden, Gustafson, Lakind, & Atkins, 2019).…”

“…We propose that CBO staff can similarly infuse these messages in their work with Latinx immigrant families in the CBO setting. Varying service trajectories show how parents remain engaged over time (Lakind, Cua, Mehta, Rusch, & Atkins, 2019), and qualitative data described the importance of SFLs’ ability to engage parents through knowledge of cultural and community context (Gustafson et al, 2018; Rusch et al, 2019). We regard CBO staff as similarly positioned to leverage their cultural knowledge.…”

A storyboarding approach to train school mental health providers and paraprofessionals in the delivery of a strengths‐based program for Latinx families affected by maternal depression

“…Nevertheless, there is merit for professionals in mental health fields and paraprofessionals to learn about the lived experience of children and families (Rusch et al, 2019), and how these lived experiences might vary as a function of the family's ethnic and racial identities. Through engagement of families with lived experience in the training process, a deeper understanding on the experiences of families whose mother has depression might be especially helpful for school personnel to maintain contact with the families and connect these families with relevant mental health services in the community, such as individual counseling, case management services, and psychiatric care (Graham et al, 2011; Lynn et al, 2003).…”

The Effect of Caregiver Key Opinion Leaders on Increasing Caregiver Demand for Evidence-Based Practices to Treat Youth Anxiety: Protocol for A Randomized Control Trial

“…Involving a local caregiver key opinion leader (KOL) to tailor DTC initiatives may increase caregiver demand for EBPs. KOLs are trustworthy members of a local community who can use their social in uence to enhance the relevance, acceptability, and credibility of DTC initiatives [69][70][71][72][73][74]. This bene t may be because people are more likely to use interventions that are used by people who are similar to them [75].…”