Using Universal Screening for Early Identification of Students at Risk: A Case Example from the Field

Abstract

This study describes the benefits of systematic universal screening (US) for school counselors engaged in the creation of effective, multi-tiered systems of support that address academic, social, emotional, and behavioral student concerns. The authors used an action research framework to present a case example of one school district's pilot of US and the role of the school counselor in the identification of students in need of social-emotional support. This article discusses implications for school counselor collaboration with other school-based mental health professionals.

Supporting School Engagement and High School Completion Through Trauma-Informed School Counseling

“…School counselors can advocate for the incorporation of universal screening systems by sharing the benefits of those systems with key stakeholders (Donohue, Goodman-Scott, & Betters-Bubon, 2016). In fact, researchers have discussed how using early warning intervention teams to examine school dropout indicators helps ensure a more comprehensive review of students rather than a focus on the most disruptive students (Davis et al, 2013).…”

“…School counselors might advocate for universal screening approaches that focus not only on academic, behavioral, and cognitive factors but also on affect or emotion. For example, Donohue, Goodman-Scott, and Betters-Bubon (2016) identified some instruments that could be used for this purpose, including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997), which is a tool to gather information related to peer relationships, emotional symptoms, and prosocial behavior and to assess conduct and attention. Monitoring students more comprehensively by including affective assessment may help provide a better understanding of students' experiences and needs for targeted intervention (Lovelace, Reschly, & Appleton, 2017).…”

Counselor Professional Identity of Counselor Profession Education

“…23/2006;Dikti, 2008;Kartadinata, 2011). Hence, counseling services focus on coping with psychological problems that might possibly appear in the students" life andgrowth throughout their education (Ivey & Goncalves, 1987;Donohue, Goodman-Scott, & Betters-Bubon, 2015).…”

“…By law, they need to attend counselor profession education that completes the theoretical understanding of the graduates with the required practical competences. One critical stage in thecounseling profession education program implementation is counseling practicum (Aman & Ahmad, 2010), whose success relies much on the quality of counselor educators who serve as supervisors and help bridge the gap between academic preparation and reality of counseling jobs at schools (Donohue, et al, 2015). It is thus critical to describe their professional identity by means of measuring their perceived competence level against the required set of competencies as a counselor educator.…”

Protective Factors for Mental Health Concerns in Urban Middle School Students

“…The American School Counselor Association (ASCA, 2012) National Model has advocated for the role of school counselors and specified that school counselors should "ensure equitable access to a rigorous education for all students" (p. xii). Growing awareness of how students' unmet mental health needs impede their academic success has increased school counseling professionals' emphasis on meeting students' mental health needs (Dekruyf et al, 2013;Donohue, Goodman-Scott, & Betters-Bubon, 2016). ASCA (2015) recently emphasized that school counselors' roles are to "recognize and respond to the need for mental health and behavioral prevention, early intervention and crisis services that promote psychosocial wellness and development for all students" (p. 57).…”