Introduction
iDECIDE facilitators come from many backgrounds and can be school or personnel from non-school partner organizations. The ideal facilitator is driven by a passion for supporting the future wellbeing of our youth, a willingness to learn techniques to best support them, and is dedicated to the iDECIDE mission. The iDECIDE team provides a workshop, continuing education, and facilitator coaching and support, so that facilitators can focus on what matters: listening, connecting with, and empowering our youth.
Facilitator requirements:
Middle or high schools in the state of Massachusetts;
Obtained a letter of commitment demonstrating school/district support;
Completes iDECIDE training;
Adheres to the standardized curriculum, materials and protocols;
Maintains certification and annual fidelity checks;
Possesses cultural competency;
Recognizes student substance use is a health issue that compromises well-being and can be appropriately addressed through education and intervention;
Builds rapport and make connections with students; and
Has positive, optimistic, authentic, engaging personality with clear communication skills.
Schools Enrolled in iDECIDE
Currently over 350 schools across Massachusetts have committed to implementing the iDECIDE. See the map below to see which schools have committed to responding to substance use infractions in a research-based, supportive, and equitable way; and in a way that addresses the mental health and wellbeing of the student to promote their future success.
How to Become an iDECIDE Facilitator
Facilitators will be required to attend a free, one-day training and participate in fidelity checks to maintain their certification. If you have questions regarding how to become an iDECIDE facilitator, please feel free to reach out to our team at iDECIDE@mgh.harvard.edu.
Additional Training Opportunities
IN PERSON: Supporting Schools: Youth Substance Use, February 9, 2024 at Hotel Northampton in Northampton, MA.
The Supporting Schools: Youth Substance Use Training is intended to increase School Nurses, School Counselors, and other school personnel’s understanding of adolescent substance use and how to engage with students.
This presentation will explain what state-level data tells us about youth and young adult substance use. Data from the MA Youth Health Survey will be presented to illustrate trends in alcohol, marijuana, and electronic vapor product use among surveyed youth. BSAS data will be utilized to show how substance types change with age among youth and young adults admitted to treatment. The training will explain how adolescent brain development creates a special vulnerability to developing substance use disorders. Participants will learn about the impact of substance use on adolescent physical and mental health.
The training will provide research-based information on Adolescent Marijuana Use and Adolescent Vaping. There will be a workshop utilizing applied and didactic methods to assist school staff in engaging students who use substances and intervene when they identify a student is using substances. The training will review resources for adolescent services.
Click here for summary and registration page
Can’t make February 9 in Northampton? Additional training date of February 14 in Framingham! Click here for more information
Supporting Staff to Support Students (S2S)
The Department of Mental Health (DMH) in partnership with the Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium (MASMHC), the International Trauma Center (ITC), Boston Children’s Foundation, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) offers:
Professional development opportunities designed to improve schools’ and districts’ use of evidence-based practices to support student mental health and well-being.
Training sessions will be offered periodically throughout the 23-24 school year.
Participants can enroll in one or more training series.
All training series are free of charge and will be offered virtually.
QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a suicide prevention training for participants to be able to recognize the warning signs of suicide and question, persuade, and refer people at risk for suicide for help
This is a joint project between the Office of the Child Advocate and UMass Chan Medical School! The center offers:
Information about adverse and positive childhood experiences
Best practices for becoming trauma-informed and responsive
Trainings, toolkits, and other resources
This Advisory reviews the evidence on prescription stimulant misuse among youth and young adults. It establishes prescription stimulant misuse as a public health problem, identifies associated risk and protective factors, and provides programs and action steps for stakeholders to prevent misuse.
Thriving Minds—a partnership of bryt, the MA School Mental Health Consortium, and the Rennie Center—is excited to offer a handful of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) this winter + spring. These PLCs are designed to support educators with building comprehensive mental health systems in schools and districts. PLCs will provide participants with training and coaching opportunities on a variety of topics, as well as a valuable network for collaboration to learn from other schools and districts across the state.