About Us
The Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
In existence since 1998, the Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs (CSBMHP) at Miami University operates within the Department of Psychology. Faculty, graduate students and community partners are involved in research, consultation, and clinical service initiatives. Eleven university faculty members are affiliated with the Center, along with a 3/4-time Program Assistant. Fourteen graduate students currently work with CSBMHP as research assistants and/or in clinical/consultation traineeships. Center activities have been funded by a variety local, state, and federal grant and contract funds, as well as by a private foundation grant and university cost-sharing.
An important goal of the Center is to build collaborative relationships with schools and community agencies to address the mental health and school success of children and adolescents through the promotion of expanded school mental health programs and services. The intent is to promote the development and implementation of effective programs to enhance healthy psychological development of school-age students and reduce mental health barriers to learning. As a university-based Center, CSBMHP is committed to ongoing applied research, pre-service education of future clinicians, in-service training of educators and mental health professionals, and direct clinical and consultative service.
Center director Paternite currently serves as lead of the Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success (OMHNSS), and CSBMHP also is the SW Ohio affiliate of the statewide network. OMHNSS consists of affiliate organizations in six regions of the state, with each affiliate, in turn, creating an action network within their region. Miami University/CSBMHP staff member Dr. Cricket Meehan currently directs the SW Ohio regional work of the Network. The mission of the Network is to help Ohio's school districts, community-based agencies and families work together to achieve improved educational and developmental outcomes for all children—especially those at emotional or behavioral risk and those with mental health problems.
CSBMHP and OMHNSS work have garnered statewide and national attention. CSBMHP faculty have been involved extensively in state-level and national public policy advocacy and technical assistance related to school mental health services. Recent efforts in this regard have included leadership for Ohio’s Mental Health—Education—Families Shared Agenda Initiative; subcommittee work for Ohio’s Access to Better Care Initiative; consultation with the Ohio Department of Education Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement Initiative; consultation with the IDEA Partnership; consultation with the Center for School Mental Health Analysis and Action (University of Maryland); leadership of the education and training committee of the School Mental Health Alliance; and co-leadership of the Mental Health Education—Integration Consortium.
An important goal of the Center is to build collaborative relationships with schools and community agencies to address the mental health and school success of children and adolescents through multifaceted programs. The intent is to promote the development and implementation of effective programs to enhance healthy psychological development of school-age students and reduce mental health barriers to learning. As a university-based Center, CSBMHP is committed to ongoing applied research, pre-service education of future clinicians and researchers, in-service training of educators and mental health professionals, and direct clinical and consultative service.