TRAILS - Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD)
Summary
In 2019, Youth Policy Lab partnered with TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) and the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment. This initiative was designed to guide future activities and establish a baseline for evaluation by gathering data from 3,500 DPSCD staff, 11,000 students in grades 8-12, 800 family members, as well as DPSCD Police and community mental health agencies.
The Youth Policy Lab launched a three-year evaluation during the 2022-23 school year in 84 DPSCD schools, focusing on the implementation and effectiveness of the TRAILS Early Intervention program (TRAILS-EI). This school-based program is designed to enhance social and behavioral outcomes in students affected by mental illness by increasing the delivery of evidence-based practices, ultimately aiming to improve academic performance. TRAILS-EI seeks to raise awareness and understanding of mental illness, improve the accurate and timely identification of students with mental health concerns, and encourage increased help-seeking behavior among students.
Project research reports
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