This document contains information about interventions for students with various mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. Some suggested interventions include promoting positive mental health awareness, teaching problem solving skills, offering experiential learning opportunities, and providing mentoring support. It is important to communicate with families, provide education about disorders, and accommodate students' individual needs through strategies like behavior plans and allowing breaks to help manage their conditions in the classroom.

1. Individualize and Personalize, QPI’s http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl By: Tanya Melby SPED 478 Ann Goldade

2. Strategy to Prevent Emotional Crisis Treat students with respect and dignity!! The words “dignity and respect” are more than just words. They are attitudes, or expressions of how someone regards another person. A person treated with dignity is able to hold up his or her head and know that he or she is worthwhile. Kind words, a positive attitude, and friendly manner towards your students will help them know that you care a lot about them. Treat your students as you would want to be treated! 

3. Strategy to Prevent Emotional Crisis Help students have high self-esteem Help them say “NO” to negativity in their lives Help them to become aware of their thoughts and feelings Help students do good for others, they will feel great about themselves! Help replace negative attitudes for positive ones Have students fill out Personal Inventories “Believe in your dreams and they may come true; believe in yourself and they will come true” -Anonymous Personal Inventory School Subjects I like ______________. I do not like ________________. I am good at __________________. I am not good at _______________. I am good at this subject, but I do not like it: ____________. I am not good at this subject, but I like it:_______________. Activities I like __________________. I do not like ________________. I am good at _________________. I am not good at _________________. I am good at this activity, but I do not like it: _________. I am not good at this activity, but I like it: ____________. I prefer being involved in individual activities _____ or group activities ___. (Check one.)

4. DEPRESSION Impact of Depression on Learning and Everyday Functioning Sad or unhappy mood Difficulty sustaining attention and focus Loss of interest or pleasure Feelings of hopelessness Gets “stuck” in negative thoughts Projects an “I don’t care” attitude Increased worry or fear Physical signs of bodily abuse Delayed mental reasoning Slow movement, speech and thinking May abuse drugs and alcohol Sleeping problems (excessive) Inability to follow-through http://www.abhs.com/sad_girl_small.j

5. Interventions for Depression Interventions 1. Promote positive mental health awareness 2. Teach problem-solving model/conflict resolution. 3. Offer experiential learning opportunities. 4. Peer/staff mentoring program. 5. Train staff about self-injurious behavior. 6. Imbed social/emotional learning into school curriculum. 7. Create a “cooling off” area in the classroom. Examples 1. School theme “Today I feel..charts”. 2. “It’s OK to ask for help.” 3. Use brain-based learning strategies in every classroom 4. Train “study buddies.” 5. Have a Professional Learning Community as part of your staff development plan. 6. Character education 7. Special corner in room with bean bag chairs, art supplies, music

6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Signs & Symptoms People with OCD may be weighed down by persistent, unwelcome thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to engage in certain rituals. They may be obsessed with germs or dirt, and wash their hands over and over. They may be filled with doubt and feel the need to check things repeatedly http://www.lynxtracks.ca/images/Young%20man%20looking%20in%20mirror.jpg

7. Interventions for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder It’s important to document the problems to build a case for helping the student School psychologists, social workers, counselors and other school professionals can be effective allies in assessing a student’s behavior and validating behaviors observed by teachers Communicate with the students families ideas you have to help Help students become educated with their disorder Help students practice refraining from their obsessions and compulsions Give parents and students information on OCD support groups Help student practice relaxation techniques

8. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly high and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. http://uncommonpics.com/pic-5078-Happy-sad-knee

9. Interventions for Bipolar Disorder Keep in constant contact with the students parents so they can let you know when their child is starting a new cycle Keep a positive attitude towards the student Families of the student may or may not want in-school counseling to work on self-management of the disorder Some students may need to sit closer to the teacher to enhance their ability to focus and to enable the teacher to discreetly assist them in refocusing or initiating tasks. Other students may wish to sit nearer to the door so that they can leave without calling attention to themselves. At times, the student may feel that he/she can't cope and needs to get out of the room. Preplanning should involve the student identifying a safe place to go to if they just need to “chill”. Provide the student with discreet assistance focusing or remaining on-task A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) might be helpful for some students with Bipolar Disorder

10. Works Cited Gillet, Jean (2008). Understanding Reading Problems. Pearson Education, Inc. Mendler, Allen (2000). Motivating Students Who Don't Care. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Hirsh, Adam (2008).Cognitive and Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Depression in a Patient with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD): A Case Report and Clinical Discussion.. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 16(3) Simpson, David (2008).Adolescents with OCD: An Integration of the Transtheoretical Model with Exposure and Response Prevention.. Best Practice in Mental Health: An International Journal; , 5(2) (2008). Accommodating Students with Mood Lability. Retrieved July 21, 2009, from Depression and Bipolar Disorder Web site: http://www.schoolbehavior.com/Files/tips_mood.pdf (2008). Intervention Strategies. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from Teaching Today Web site: http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/intervention_strategies.phtml (2009). NIMH. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml