Combining MTSS and Community-Based Mentoring Programs

Abstract

In the United States, schools provide a large portion of child and adolescent mental health services; however, systems are restricted by resource and workforce shortages while the need for services steadily increases. This discrepancy leads to unmanageable caseloads for providers and reduced access to quality services for youth, and highlights a need to expand the school-based workforce to meet student needs. Herein, we propose a novel mental health service-delivery framework to offset these challenges by integrating mentors within the context of multitiered systems of support (MTSS) through task-shifting. We review and synthesize the literature in community and school psychology on the promises and challenges of youth mentoring and MTSS. We discuss the importance of diversifying school psychology, including the importance of increasing access to and benefit from educational supports for minoritized students, and the promise of mentoring within this context. We propose that by systematically integrating youth mentoring within MTSS there are several systems-level and individual-level benefits for youth, school staff, and mentoring nonprofits. We conclude by providing ethical, evaluation, and implementation considerations surrounding the proposed model.

Impact Statement

Restructuring the school-based mental health workforce by integrating community mentors into MTSS frameworks provides an innovative, powerful way to engage with diverse student populations. We propose a novel model that expands and strengthens this workforce, thereby increasing the quality and reach of school-based services.

Keywords:

• Youth mentoring
• task-shifting
• MTSS
• service models
• school-based mental health

Associate Editor:

• Frank C. Worrell

DISCLOSURE

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mackenzie J. Hart

Mackenzie J. Hart, MA, is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Anna M. Flitner

Anna M. Flitner, MA, is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Mariah E. Kornbluh

Mariah E. Kornbluh, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Daria C. Thompson

Daria C. Thompson, MS, is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Amanda L. Davis

Amanda L. Davis, BA, is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Jody Lanza-Gregory

Jody Lanza-Gregory, BA, is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Samuel D. McQuillin

Samuel D. McQuillin, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.

Jorge E. Gonzalez

Jorge E. Gonzalez, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Houston.

Gerald G. Strait

Gerald G. Strait, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of Houston- Clear Lake.