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School Mental Health Program to Support Spanish-Speaking Communities

Principal Investigator Dr. Keith Radley (Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology), along with Co-Investigators Dr. Aaron Fischer (Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology) and Dr. Philip Osteen (Associate Professor in the College of Social Work), have launched a new program, A Culturally Responsive and Collaborative Interdisciplinary School Mental Health Training Program in Support of Spanish-Speaking Communities, to address mental health needs in Utah's Spanish-speaking youth. 

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program will place 22 graduate students seeking school psychology or social work degrees directly in Salt Lake City schools. Students in the program will receive a generous stipend and benefits package in addition to enhanced linguistic and cultural diversity training before being placed in schools across the valley to support the mental health and social needs of Utah's growing Spanish-speaking population. The student cohorts will also benefit from interdisciplinary training and practicums in school psychology and social work, ensuring they are career-ready to work on multidisciplinary teams. Trained and credentialed school psychologists and social workers will provide oversight, feedback, and support to the student trainees throughout their time in the program. Upon graduation, students become full-time employees of the school districts they have been serving. 

Spanish-speaking youth--one of the state's fastest-growing populations--will have direct and easy access to mental health supports and social services through professionals trained to be culturally and linguistically responsive. Such direct access to these services will help students in need overcome traditional barriers and stigmas to care.    

Students interested in applying to the program should contact Dr. Kate Helbig.

Preparing Future Utah School Psychologists Grant

In Utah, as well as nationwide, there is a shortage of qualified school psychologists. The University of Utah School Psychology program has received IDEA funding through the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) to address this shortage by preparing future school psychologists for practice in Utah Schools. This funding supports three students over a two-year period as they complete coursework in the School Psychology program—preparing them to become experts in school-based assessment, intervention, and systems change. Upon graduation, these students will be license-eligible and able to immediately impact student, teacher, and school outcomes in Utah school districts.

For 2020 to 2022 period, the three students supported by the Preparing Future Utah School Psychologists are Brach Burton, Bethany Jorgensen, and Jeremy Meservy. The USBE provided additional support for the 2021 to 2023 period, funding an additional eight students. These students are Madison Beckstead, Nolan Behr, Jocelyn Cazier, Alyssa Laird, Anne Lemons, Taylor Lynch, Ashlee Watkins, and Alli Wenzbauer. For the 2022 to 2024 period, the USBE provided support for eight additional students: Jessie Fiat, Kennedy Onell, Erin O’Connor, Madeline Walker, Kristina Changkiendee, Nolan Behr, Sara Mathis, and Megan Wall. For the 2023 to 2025 period, the USBE provided support for eight additional students: Colby Hoskinson, Kylie Jacobson, Mackenzi Kough, Mikelle Olsen, Mahala Olsen, Ben Gomez Rogerson, Ashlyn Peters, and Ashlyn Funn. For the 2024-2026 period, the USBE provided support for six students: Paola Garcia Quezada, Carson Ewing, Ashlee Larson, Kennedy Banks, Alyssa Buist, and Remington Draney. The grant is directed by Keith Radley, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NCSP, Director of Training of the School Psychology program.