CAREs Unit Provides Evaluation of Rural School-based Mental Health Programming

Through the Clarkson Institute, the CAREs Unit is partnering with Heartland Counseling Services to evaluate its school-based mental health programming across multiple rural Nebraska districts in Northeast Nebraska.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the CAREs Unit is examining how mental health services are implemented in rural school settings and their impact on students, educators and school culture.

Treatment services evaluated will include student identification, screening and referral, as well as the delivery of services including individual therapy and peer support. The evaluation will focus on key implementation outcomes such as earlier identification, increased access to care and treatment engagement and student-level outcomes, including student academic performance, psychosocial functioning and system-level impacts such as school culture and stigma.

The CAREs Unit is integrating quantitative school data and HCS program data with qualitative insights from students, parents, teachers, school and district administrators. Data collection includes surveys, interviews and focus groups across short- and long-term partner schools, allowing for comparison of program implementation, maturity and impact over time. This work supports HCS and its school partners in strengthening program delivery, identifying opportunities for improvement and building evidence to inform sustainability and expansion.

The project is currently in the data-planning and request phase. Initial efforts are focused on requesting and processing existing school district data to merge with HCS program data. These quantitative data will inform targeted site selection for comprehensive, in-depth data collection in selected schools.