http://www.syndicatemizzou.org Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:50:56 GMT en-us 40 Center for eResearch Connecting you with the University of Missouri’s innovative research and creative activity http://www.syndicatemizzou.org/images/logo.png 384 80 http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller01.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller01.m4v Most of Jim Koller’s past research and practice as a licensed psychologist was directed toward pathology, that is, “abnormal behavior.” But he became disillusioned with the then-current state of affairs, realizing that “we have to do something _different_ to stop the escalating incidence of mental illness vis-à-vis mental health problems in the country.” With the cooperation of the Missouri state legislature and the Department of Mental Health, the Center for the Advancement of Mental Health Practices in the Schools was conceived—“with the whole thrust being a paradigmatic shift from mental illness to mental health.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:38:38 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller02.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller02.m4v In its mission to convince lay people and the professional community about the importance of early intervention, the Center has encountered several obstacles. Trying to modify teacher certification requirements to include coursework in this area, for example, has been like “trying to teach an old dog a new trick,” Koller recounts. For one thing, people tend to think that mental illness problems and substance abuse don’t exist in their own community. “There is a naiveté that befits the general society as well as the professional ones. We really have to work on shaping and re-shaping the mentality towards mental health; it is a systemic problem that is going to take a long time.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:40:49 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller04.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller04.m4v The Center has been working with the School of Nursing and the College of Education at MU to provide mental health training for nurses, teachers, principals, and school counselors. Thanks to the collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation, the Department of Health, the national centers on mental health, and other federal agencies, they have been able to do outreach, sharing, collaboration, and program development. “That’s the only way we’re going to be able to surmount some of these issues,” Koller remarks. “Without that collaboration, we would not be where we are today.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:42:24 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller05.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Koller05.m4v Koller observes that one of the biggest obstacles is getting people to do more than just nod and agree that mental health is important. “Of course, it’s important: but what are we willing to do to encourage it in our youth?” he asks. “We have to do something that’s more proactive than reactive. Mental illness is continuing unabated in our society in particular,” thanks in part to high levels of stress and the drive to succeed. He perceives this challenge as an ethical and moral responsibility: “When you have a chance to do something about it, when you have people who are willing to look outside the box at a different world, why not take it? At least you can’t be judged that you didn’t try.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:39:31 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston01.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston01.m4v Weston describes several of the Center’s current projects. For instance, one of them seeks “to integrate mental health systems with education systems,” starting with the Moberly Public Schools, and eventually applying the model elsewhere. For this purpose, they have begun an organization called the Moberly Community Coalition for Children and Families to address children’s mental health. “It’s been a fantastic learning experience,” observes Weston. “They have really built awareness in the community around the need to address children’s mental health and to _promote_ mental health. We take a preventative approach, arguing that we should be paying attention to children’s social and emotional development, that we should be promoting mental health the same way we promote physical health.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:39:02 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston02.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston02.m4v Last July, the Center received a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. By holding focus groups with mental health professionals, the public schools, parents, child service workers, juvenile justice personnel, and so forth, they are seeking to address the question: “What could we do in schools and communities to help support healthy social and emotional development in children?” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:41:06 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston03.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston03.m4v One of the Center’s new projects is funded through the Department of Health and Senior Services. This interdisciplinary effort is working across the state on community development, with a focus on children’s mental health. 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:41:21 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston05.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/koller/ipod/Weston05.m4v “We are seeing an increasing number of suicides. We have one district [in Missouri] that has thus far this year had six adolescent suicides. It’s just devastating in that small school district. More and more school districts are having to grapple with this issue,” says Weston. How to respond to this problem involves some controversy about which is the best approach to suicide prevention. The Center has recently developed an online course on suicide prevention. They have also undertaken research with school leaders to understand their perceptions on suicide prevention. As Weston explains, “some people think if you talk about it in the schools that’s going to make kids more likely to attempt suicide, which is not true. It’s a huge misunderstanding that’s out there. There are some prevention programs that promote screening of kids to see whether they’re potentially at risk for harming themselves, and that’s highly controversial.” Naturally, suicide prevention relates to the Center’s work in schools as well, “because we want kids to have good coping skills so that they’re not thinking about taking their own lives.” 3 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:41:37 GMT