Mental Health Research to Support All Students
The School Mental Health Collaborative is made up of researchers and scholars from the Universities of California, South Florida, and Wisconsin.
We partner with schools to find ways to support the mental health of children and adolescents in the classroom. Our work informs policy and practices that promote the social-emotional and behavioral success of all students.
What We Do
Conduct Research
We study how to identify and address the mental health needs of students in the classroom
Train Future Professionals
Training programs for the next generation of school mental health researchers & practitioners
Popular Resources
Best Practices in Universal Screening for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes: An Implementation Guide
Universal social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening is increasingly being recognized as a foundational component of a comprehensive, multi-tiered system of school-based supports. The purpose of this guide is to summarize the current state of research and practice related to universal SEB screening and provide practical and defensible recommendations.
REP Cognitive-Behavioral Instruction Curriculum: Grades 4-5
Through five lessons in a small-group setting, students learn skills to manage their strong emotions, address negative thoughts that lead to these emotions, and problem solve within challenging social or academic situations. This curriculum includes content that is appropriate for late elementary school students (grades 4-5).
REP Cognitive-Behavioral Instruction Curriculum: Grades 6-8
Through five lessons in a small-group setting, students learn skills to manage their strong emotions, address negative thoughts that lead to these emotions, and problem solve within challenging social or academic situations. This curriculum includes content that is appropriate for middle school students (grades 6-8).
REP Cognitive-Behavioral Instruction Workbook: Grades 4-5
This student workbook includes all of the materials a student will need to progress through REP, including homework sheets, lesson worksheets, and lesson overviews. This workbook is specific to the late elementary school version of the curriculum (grades 4-5).
REP Cognitive-Behavioral Instruction Workbook: Grades 6-8
This student workbook includes all of the materials a student will need to progress through REP, including homework sheets, lesson worksheets, and lesson overviews. This workbook is specific to the middle school version of the curriculum (grades 6-8).
REP Resilient Families Handbook
Spanish version
This Resilient Families process is designed to engage parents and caregivers as co-equal partners in supporting their child. REP implementers work to support parents and caregivers in developing tools that promote their child’s social-emotional skills. Finally, the handbook helps to establish a context for families and educators to collaborate as they coordinate support for their child.
Recent Work
School-Based Health Centers in Madison Schools
This research brief describes the school-based behavioral health clinics that opened in four Madison high schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Our data show that these school-based health centers are an effective way to increase access to mental health for students who typically struggle to get services.
Screening Students for Trauma
In this School Mental Health Practice Brief, Katie Eklund shares strategies for routinely screening students for trauma exposure.
The School Mental Health Collaborative 2023 Annual Report
The inaugural annual report of the School Mental Health Collaborative Center at the University of South Florida (USF).
In the News
-
Not Your Average SP Podcast – Reducing Barriers to Systems-Level Implementation with Dr. Eklund
In this February 2025 episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Katie Eklund shares about her work with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), specifically…
-
WORT 89.9 FM — Eklund on Supporting Kids After a Crisis
WORT Community Radio interviewed Katie Eklund following the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in December 2024. Katie shared strategies for supporting kids after a…
-
Channel 3000 — K-12 Crisis Prevention in Wake of ALCS Shooting
Channel 3000 interviewed Katie Eklund following the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in December 2024. Katie describes how threat assessment can be used to…
-
PBS News Hour — Student-Led Network Helps Address Shortage of Mental Health Professionals in Schools
Steven Potter of PBS News Hour reports on how peer support, school staff and psychology researchers are trying to keep up with the growing rate…
-
PBS Wisconsin — What’s Being Done to Help Mental Health Among School Kids?
This interview originally appeared in a PBS News article in December 2023. Katie Eklund is interviewed as part of this report. What’s being done to…
