The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) seeks to connect education and mental health systems and staff in order to improve educational outcomes of K-12 students. By identifying ways Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) and School Mental Health (SMH) can work together, the ISF can both improve the quality of the individual systems and help eliminate gaps or missing elements of the two combined.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS)

PBIS is a widely implemented, multi-tiered framework that provides school personnel with prevention oriented evidence based supports. PBIS is a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school, and is implemented in all school settings. Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. The efforts focus on leadership, decision-making, behavior monitoring, screening, and professional development and support. Schools which implemented PBIS have seen reductions in office referrals and discipline problems.

School Mental Health (SMH)

SMH refers to a cooperative effort between schools, communities, and families to offer quality mental health promotion programs and services in K-12 schools. These programs include social and emotional learning and life skills training, emotional and behavioral (EB) problem prevention, early identification of EB problems, and evidence based interventions. Traditionally, SMH was only addressed within schools by schools themselves, but the expanded model involving community-based practitioners has begun to take hold.

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