Trained school anddistrict teams on AB

2246, AssessingSuicidal Students,

Question, Persuade &Refer, and Applied

Suicide InterventionSkills Training

Developed SuicidePrevention

Resource Guidefor Schools. Trained and

implemented 19high school teams

on NAMI onCampus Clubs.

Launched pilotproject to collect

data on thenumber ofsuicide risk

assessmentscompleted

As a result ofdemonstrated

success, receivedgrant to lead the

state with an onlinesuicide preventiontraining for middle

and high schoolstudents and staff

Developedcomprehensive

suicide riskassessmenttoolkit for

schools

In partnership with the California Department of Education, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) wasawarded a 5-year Federal grant to implement the Project Cal-Well initiative. Project Cal-Well’s mission is to increaseawareness of and improve mental health and wellness of California’s K-12 students and provide training for schoolpersonnel to build positive school climate and detect and respond to mental health issues.

6,726Staff from 42 school districtsand charter schools trained

on mental health andwellness, positive school

climate and trauma-informed care

1,811Educators were

trained andcertified in

YMHFA

Project Cal-Well Final Brief5-Year Journey: 2014-2019

County-Wide Highlights, 2014-15 to 2018-19

Suicide Prevention in San Diego Schools: A Proactive Approach

Youth referred toa mental health

service by aYMHFA trained

adult

2,550

Increase in both 9thand 11th graders

reporting that therewere caring adults in

their schools

Suicide ideation declined across the county: from 17% to 15% among 9th graders and 17% to 16% among 11th graders (2015-2019)

Increase in both 9thand 11th graders

reporting highlevels of schoolconnectedness

Trainings introduce common youthmental health challenges, review

adolescent development, and helpparticipants learn to identify,

understand and respond to signs ofmental distress or illness.

Youth Mental HealthFirst Aid (YMHFA)

Project Cal-Wellgrant planning

year

30% 11%

2016-19 2018-19 2018-20 2019 20202015-16

Mountain Empire School District (MEUSD)Rural School Spotlight: Mountain Empire High School

0 25 50 75 100

0 25 50 75

42%

45%

Project Cal-Well was a five-year (2014–19) “Now Is The Time” Project Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education grant funded by the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration through the California Department of Education. University of California, San Francisco SchoolHealth Services Research & Evaluation Team produced this report. (https://healthpolicy.ucsf.edu/school-health-services-evaluation).

Chula Vista Elementary School DistrictUrban School Spotlight: Lauderbach Elementary School 

“MEHS has seen a positivetransformation within the last 5 yearsand we have laid the foundation for apositive school culture that has set thestage for learning. While there is much

work to be done to continue thispositive trend, we feel we have

developed the knowledge, skills, andcapacity to continue this work into the

future.”Decline in 9th gradersreporting that they seriously

considered attemptingsuicide in the past 12months (2015-2019)

12%

These improvements were greater than district wide changes during thesame period, pointing to the success of Project Cal-Well interventions.

Students report increases inwillingness to seek help from others

School staff report increases in supporting student mental health

Know how to identify students inneed of mental health services

Receive school support to addressstudents’ mental health needs

Confident in their ability to help studentsaddress their mental health needs

Students report improvements inschool environment

-Patrick Keeley, Principal

85%93%

64%88%

65%81%

Total school supports

Caring adults in schools

School connectedness

49%

62%

64%

59%

2015-16 2018-19

2018-192014-15

Counselor, doctor or therapist

Teacher or school staff

Friends

Family

0 20 40 60

42%53%

59%48%

24%34%

13%19%

2015-16 2018-19

School Staff Professional Development:PBIS, YMHFA, Restorative Practices, and SWIS. School-Wide Interventions: SEL curricula,MSW interns, SWIS, and ongoing coaching.

"Over the past 5 years our campusclimate has transformed

dramatically where students feelsafe, secure, and a sense of

belonging. Our students are able tobetter manage and self-regulate

their behaviors, and form positiverelationships with their peers. Wewill continue this work because we

know it works."

-Melody Belcher, Principal

School Staff Professional Development: PositiveBehavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS),School-Wide Information Systems (SWIS), RestorativePractices, Science of Gratitude, AB2246 (Pupil SuicidePrevention Policies), Assessing Suicidal Students, Social Emotional Intelligence, and YMHFA.  Youth Activities: National Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI) on Campus Clubs, No Place for Hate,Directing Change, and Walk in our Shoes campaigns. School-Wide Interventions: Social EmotionalLearning (SEL) curricula, MSW interns, and adoptionof SDCOE's suicide risk assessment toolkit. MEUSD was the first district in the state to trainand certify ALL staff in YMHFA.