Mental Health Emergency Preparedness for the School Workforce
An intervention to increase psychological preparedness for teachers, staff and leadership in pre-K-8 schools during emergencies.
About the study
The research project involved co-creation, implementation and evaluation of a psychological preparedness training for the public-school workforce, complimenting their current emergency preparedness plans and drills. The project also included shared leadership and peer support components, encouraging teachers to support one another and engage with emergency preparedness planning and drills. We worked with six schools from Cherry Creek School District with about 300 school-based personnel. Now that the study is complete, we aim to offer this intervention to other school districts throughout the region.
Thanks to their dedication to workplace health, safety, and well-being through this project, Cherry Creek School District's Safety and Security Team was awarded the Community Impact Award for the Center's 2023 Partner Awards.
This training will make employees feel more psychologically prepared for an emergency, and will increase peer support related to emergency preparedness.
— Courtney Welton-Mitchell PhD, MA Clinical Assistant Professor
Download the Curriculum Manual
Highlights
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New training offered to support teacher mental health during emergency drills
Oct 19, 2023Researchers Courtney Welton-Mitchell, PhD, and Natalie Schwatka, PhD, from the Center for Health, Work & Environment at ColoradoSPH have developed, tested and launched a new training manual to help school districts enhance their emergency preparedness. The training emphasizes an integrated approach to support teacher and staff mental and physical health.Full story -
/chwe-newsroom/download-(1).jpeg?sfvrsn=792e0cbb_0 "Emergency in school")
How a New Training Eases Teachers’ Anxiety About Emergency DrillsOpens in a new window
Aug 25, 2023Two researchers from the Center for Health, Work, and Environment at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus recently completed a two-year research project on emergency preparedness plans and drills in schools.Opens in a new window Full story -
/chwe-newsroom/courtney-natalie.png?sfvrsn=c0a938bb_0 "Courtney and Natalie")
Supporting Teacher and Staff Emergency Preparedness and Well-being
Aug 16, 2023Courtney Welton-Mitchell and Natalie Schwatka from the Center for Health, Work & Environment recently completed a two-year research project of psychological preparedness training for the public-school workforce, complimenting current emergency preparedness plans and drills.Full story
The team
Publications
This project stems from lessons learned from the Small+Safe+Well study and draws on the following research.
James, L., Welton-Mitchell, C., Noel, J.R., & James, A. (2019). Integrating mental health and disaster preparedness in intervention: RCT with earthquake and flood-affected communities in Haiti. Psychological Medicine, 1–11.
Welton-Mitchell, C., James, L., Khanal, S.N., James, A. (2018). An integrated approach to mental health and disaster preparedness: A cluster comparison with earthquake-affected communities in Nepal. BMC Psychiatry, Sep 15;18(1):296.