Andrea Mackey
[email protected]
 Current position
 Academic background
 Professional Experience
In small groups of 3-4 people,
decide three behaviors that
would result in a student being
placed in-patient.
 Individual severity of the disorder and
behavior
 In take process
 Length of in-patient stay
 Environmental issues
In your small group, identify three
“pros” of in-patient treatment.
In your small group, identify three
“cons” of in-patient treatment.
 Schedules/daily routine
 Intense therapy
 Behavioral expectations
 Compliance vs. competence
 EVERYTHING is structured!
 Academics are not the focus
 Highly supportive and secure
 Controlled environment
 Academic gaps may not be improved-class time is
often the most stressful part of their day
 Medication cycle
 “Out of sync” in family and school life
 Open wounds/inadequate time for healing
In your small group, define your
biggest fear when these students
return to the public school setting.
 Usually in-patient one day, at school the next
 Information failure-Complications related to privacy
 Academic vs intellectual ability gaps/placement?
 Reaction to changed medications
 Concomitant disabilities-What is the most disabling?
 Availability of support services-counseling especially
 Need for teacher “heads up”
 Preventive planning with administration
 STRUCTURE!
 Remember confidentiality!
 The mental health issue did not dissolve-must deal
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
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with it
Minimize transitions during the day
Have high expectations
Label expected behavior
Respect is a two-way street
Students will know when you are judging them
 Structure positive social opportunities
 Words and tones with students-stern
doesn’t mean hateful; “I didn’t tell Tom you
were lazy”
 Maintain composure – volume matters
 Fair, Firm, and Consistent
So.....let’s talk about how it feels for the
student.
In your small groups, talk about how you
think these students feel when
returning to school.
 Coping skills are taught in mental health facilities
 Important to know the difference between positive
coping skills vs negative coping skills
 How can coping skills be utilized in the academic
setting
 Continuing care
 Mental health occurs throughout lifetime
 Most get caught up in “revolving door”
 Teaching coping skills that transfer from school to
college/career
 Set the stage for success
"There is in every child at every stage a new
miracle of vigorous unfolding." Erik Erikson
(1902-1994)
Andrea Mackey
[email protected]