(PS3-65) Advancing Equity in School Discipline: A Community-based Approach to Implementing Restorative Justice and Mental Health Supports

Abstract Text: In the context of the youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, schools are uniquely situated to provide accessible, evidence-based mental health services to children. However, research points to persistent racial disparities among youth receiving mental health services, including at schools. In fact, the racial disproportionality in school exclusionary discipline (i.e., suspensions, expulsions) point to schools as a potential contributor to mental health disparities as Black and Latiné students are 2-4 times more likely to receive exclusionary discipline than White or Asian students, while being less likely to be identified as needing mental health services. Exclusionary discipline puts students at risk for adverse educational and social-emotional outcomes, but these punitive methods often fail to produce long-term behavioral change. Although researchers have introduced many programs and interventions to reduce school exclusionary discipline and promote school-based mental health services, racial disparities persist because these programs often overlook urban schools’ capacity for implementation. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods offer promising potentials to address this research-to-practice gap through close collaboration and lasting partnerships with schools. This presentation highlights the critical elements in the development of these academic-community partnerships and various methods that evidence-based practices were integrated in our work with two partner schools in the Chicagoland area. Through school-wide professional development workshops, individual and group coaching with teachers, and ongoing consultation with school administrators, we embedded age-appropriate behavior modification strategies for students and stress management strategies for educators all grounded in cognitive behavioral principles. Especially in discussions around effective ways to address challenging behaviors from students, alternative strategies to punitive discipline such as restorative justice and trauma-informed classroom management practices were emphasized. Iterative communication with teachers and administrators identified challenges in consistently delivering these alternative discipline practices, including time constraints and emotional regulation in high stress situations. CBPR data suggest that while educators recognize the theoretical benefits of alternative discipline, sustainable implementation may require systemic change and structural capacity building. Benefits of CBPR and implications around youth mental health and discipline disparities will also be discussed.