Teachers are critically involved in the delivery of school-based mental health promotion (SMHP) interventions in school, though pre-service teacher education often leaves teachers feeling underprepared in this area. Thus, understanding how best to build teachers’ capacity for delivery through effective professional development (PD) is essential for teachers to fulfill their role as delivery agents to achieve SMHP outcomes. This systematized review focuses on identifying components of high-quality teacher PD for SMHP and examining the empirical support for these components. In a two-phase analysis, we examined the descriptive literature regarding teacher PD for SMHP to identify common elements. This resulted in the identification of components relevant to training (interactive, guided by staff input) and technical assistance (TA), including the goals (skill development, motivation, generalization/adaptation), approach (collaborative, individualized, data-driven, strengths-based), and activities (modeling, performance feedback, reflection, problem solving) involved. A second phase focused on the examination of empirical evidence for these PD components. While the empirical evidence for these components was limited, the identified components represent a current standard of practice in teacher PD for SMHP, based on the existing research. These components may provide a framework for practical use in planning teacher PD related to SMHP and for designing future research into effective capacity building in this area.

In this article, we compare and contrast the Multilevel Implementation Quality Framework (Domitrovich et al, 2008, this issue) with other emerging frameworks, theories, and models emerging in health services literature. We describe application of the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF) to support strengthening implementation of Expanded School Mental Health Services (ESMH) in Ohio. We argue that participatory framework development presents promise as a means to overcome disciplinary and structural impediments to promoting implementation of ESMH. We describe the process of engaging key stakeholders to explore, understand, and improve implementation of ESMH services, and provide examples of how the process led to improved understanding of dissemination and implementation, and fomented commitment and support for strategies to strengthen implementation of ESMH services across the state.

School mental health (SMH) teams have been widely recommended to support multi-tiered mental health program implementation in schools. Available research suggests emerging best practices that promote effective SMH teaming and indicates the importance of having team members who are highly engaged (e.g., actively involved, retained on the team). Despite evidence that these factors improve team functioning, there is limited knowledge of SMH team prevalence, best practice use, and factors impacting member engagement among a diverse sample of elementary schools. This study surveyed a cross-sectional sample of elementary principals (n = 314) across the United States whose schools implement multi-tiered SMH programs. Most principals (89%, n = 280) reported using teams to organize these programs. Schools in urban/suburban communities, with 300 or more students, or with specific school funding for SMH activities were more likely to have SMH teams. Only one-third of principals reported that their team members participated in related training. Other SMH team best practices were commonly reported (by two-thirds or more teams). Results of a linear regression model indicate that larger teams (six or more members) and teams with access to resources had significantly higher member engagement scores. The study’s findings provide recommendations for practice and future research directions.