Exploring collaboration: a program evaluation of a mental health intervention in a public elementary school

The purpose of this evaluative study was to develop and implement a program evaluation design for a model of early mental health intervention to primary grade level classrooms .in a public elementary school. The design reflects a formative evaluation study, providing information for current and future programming and is manageable to implement, thus facilitating longitudinal data collection. This therapeutic model of classroom intervention stresses the integration of children’s social, emotional and intellectual development and proposes a collaborative approach between therapist and educator. Levels of intervention for collaborators include (1) children identified as requiring therapeutic approaches to social-emotional difficulties experienced in the classroom, (2) all children in the classroom and, (3) the classroom milieu. The overall goal is to promote optimal growth at all levels. The program evaluation design includes a format for monitoring the service delivery system of the model and to identify procedural and collaborative discrepancies. Information regarding collaborators\u27 perceptions of identified children is collected from written intervention plans. Assessment of the frequency and nature of peer interactions was accomplished in this study through an observational technique in the classrooms. A teacher attitude questionnaire was administered at the end of the school year to obtain information about teacher receptivity of the program and suggestions for future restructuring of service delivery. Additional data was collected from the school\u27s files regarding teachers\u27 rating of children as to their current and anticipated social-emotional and learning difficulties. The results of the information collected reflect a general awareness, acceptance and support of the collaborative approach on the part of teachers participating in the program. As a direct result of the evaluation process, several issues of programming were raised and proposed for future decision-making