Tulsa aware: a multi-tiered support system for mental health in tulsa public schools. - tulsa public schools (TPS), the largest independent district in oklahoma, serves 33,211 students at 78 schools…

Tulsa aware: a multi-tiered support system for mental health in tulsa public schools. - tulsa public schools (TPS), the largest independent district in oklahoma, serves 33,211 students at 78 schools and charter partners. Accredited by the state board of education, TPS offers PK-12 grade education with a standards-based curriculum, preparing school-aged youth (say) for post-secondary education. The district's student body is diverse, with many say who are multilingual learners (encompassing 76 different languages) and/or economically disadvantaged. TPS serves diverse neighborhoods across its 174 square-mile district, with differing cultures, social conditions, and poor social determinants of health. Disparities across the tulsa community are dramatic and reflect historical trauma and systemic inequities. Poverty rates in north tulsa are more than 35%, compared to 17% in the rest of the city, and, in 2021, one in five tulsa children youth aged 5-17 lived in poverty - a rate that is often higher for children and youth experiencing severe emotional disturbance. The tulsa aware multi-tiered system of support initiative will serve all children and youth enrolled at TPS. Tulsa aware goals and objectives present a pragmatic and practical approach to increasing mental health skills and literacy, promoting positive mental health development, and connecting school-age children, youth, and families to treatment and supports that are culturally relevant and foster resilience building. Through tulsa aware, TPS will formalize partnerships with the oklahoma state department of education, the oklahoma department of mental health and substance abuse services, the area's two ccbhcs (family and children's services and counseling and recovery services of oklahoma) and healthy minds policy initiative for a coordinated and equitable system of care for students and families. The initiative will facilitate understanding of mental health and social emotional skills, screen students for mental health issues, refer students to appropriate support when needed, and provide families and stakeholders with tools and support. This is a much-needed program designed to address service gaps and provide the necessary resources for students and their families to thrive.