The Use of Assessment Instruments in School Social Work: Looking Beyond Grades, Discipline Referrals and Attendance Developed by Faculty and Staff of: The University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry Center for School Mental Health Rational for Using Assessment Instruments Qualitative Quantitative Eligibility for Services  School Based – –  Enrolment Discharge Community Based – – Non Public Residential Assessment  DSM Disorders – – – –  Treatment Planning – –  Mood Disorders Disruptive Behavior Disorders Language Based Learning Disabilities Cognitive Ability Data Driven Specific, Realistic, Quantifiable Goals Progress – – Pre/Post Testing Treatment Planning Progress  Re-Assessment – Set Intervals  Treatment Planning  Interdisciplinary Communication Treatment and Program Evaluation  Pre/Post Testing – –  Group Protocols Individual Protocols Aggregates of Client Progress Overtime – – Program Sustainability Investment of Team Members to Collaborate Response to Intervention (RTI)  Useful in “Three Tier” Model – – –  Supports the Ecological and Systemic Models – – –  Early Mental Health Intervention Targeted Intervention Services Identify Individuals “Who Require Intensive Support” Biopsychosocial Needs Assessment Identifies Protective and Risk Factors in Client’s Environment Evaluates “student progress specific to behavioral, emotional, and mental health concerns and the effect on academic progress. Team Collaboration – – Data Driven Guide to Decision Making Aides in Team Understanding of Identification and Chosen Interventions Challenges  Cost  Time  Missing Data  Integrity of Instruments  Culture Competency  Confidentiality Challenges Continued  Unethical Usage or “Pigeon Holing”  Difference in Educational and Psychological Coding  Abandoning Traditional Qualitative Interviewing Assessment  Knowledge and Comfort How to Select an Instrument  Purpose – Functionality – Symptomology – Risk – Climate – Program Evaluation Credentials – Licensed Clinical Psychologist – Master’s Degree in Mental Health/Health Field Under Supervision if Unlicensed – No Educational Prerequisites Certification  Site Licensure  Train the Trainer  One Time Training With Periodic Boosters  One time Training  None Cost  Introduction Packet ($99 - $500)  Individual Packets of 25 ($25 - $125)  Individual Scoring Sheets of 25 ($25 - $125)  Clinician Instruction Manual With Reprintable Forms ($25 - $130)  Public Domain Free Assessments Including Tool and Scoring Instructions Instrument Integrity  Reliability – Speaks to the stability of the test and/or administrator    Test Retest - Same data each time Interrater – Two administrators will score similarly Internal Consistency – Divided into parts, there is still a likeness in responses – (.70) and Above Optimal Integrity Continued  Validity – Does the Instrument Measure What it Claim  Face - Looks as though is measures the construct  Criterion - Correlates well with present or future results  Construct - When compared to other instruments deemed valid it correlates as expected – Convergent - Strong correlation with instrument measuring the same construct – Discriminant - Less Strong correlation with an instrument measuring a different construct – (.60) an Above Optimal Integrity Continued  Norms –  The Numbers of Participants and Population Tested Standardized – Giving the Same Instrument, the Same Way, in the Same Conditions Resources   Buros Institute – http://buros.unl.edu/buros/jsp/search.jsp – Test in Print (TIP) – Mental Measurements Year Book (MMY) Center or School Mental Health (CSMH) – – www.Schoolmentalhealth.org www.csmh.org Overview of Instruments  Functionality  Risk  Symptomology  Climate  Program Evaluation Functionality  Child and Adolescent Functionality Assessment Scale (CAFAS) – Emotional, Behavioral, Psychological, Psychiatric, Substance Abuse  – – – – – – – Home, Community, School, Relationships, Justice System Separate Caregiver Scale Ages 6 -17 (PECFAS for younger clients) Reliability .73+, Validity reported as acceptable Train the Trainer Model and Boosters (Fee) Materials (Fee) 15 Minutes Kay Hodges, Author Functionality Continued  Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment (CANS) – Six Areas of Functioning       – – – – Problem Presentation Risk Functioning Care Intensity Caregiver Capacity Strengths Certification Training and Booster (Fee) Materials (Unknown) 35 Minutes John S. Lyons, Ph.D.  JSL329@northwestern.edu Risk  Global Clinical Impairment Scales (CGI) – Administered at Set Intervals – Response     Client Clinician Parent Teacher Symptomology  Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) – – – – – –  Client Response 20 Items Range From 0 - 60 Ages 6 -17 Cut off score of 15 Public Domain (Free) Spence Children Anxiety Scale (SCAS) – – – – Client response 45 Items Ages 7 – 18 Public Domain (Free) Symptomology Continued  NIHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales – – – – ADHD and Oppositional Symptoms 55 items Ages 6 - 12 Response   Parent Teacher Climate  School as a Caring Community Profile – II (SCCP-II) – – 42 Items Response   Students Adults Let’s Practice! Questions and Comments  Your contact info here….