Universal
Prevention
Barriers to Implementation
Public Policy and Funding
Despite the increasingly high rates of
problems among children and adolescents,
public policy for prevention programs in
schools has not always been a priority.
Additionally, the programs that are
implemented tend to focus on reducing
specific negative behaviors, resulting in
various programs competing for the same
limited resources. This leads to redundancy
and less effective programming.
Choosing Effective Programs
Selecting appropriate interventions and
programs can be difficult. To do so, schools
need to consider which goals to prioritize,
which programs will be effective, and how
to get funding, among other things.
It can also be difficult to determine who will
facilitate the programs. While trained
professionals are ideal, schools dont always
have the necessary funding. It usually falls
onto teachers or school counselors, who might
not have adequate time or training.
Lack of Time & Resources
Due to the emphasis on high-stakes testing
and accountability in education, some
educators seem to believe that fostering
social and emotional development and
academic achievement are mutually
exclusive, which is not true.
However, even with the understanding that
fostering positive development supports
academic achievement, there are limited
resources, and competing demands for those
resources. Many programs are considered
too expensive, resource dependent, time-
consuming, or complicated.
What Can Schools Do? Programs in
Despite the barriers that exist in
Schools
implementing universal prevention
programs in schools, there are several
things that schools can do to address
these problems:
Encourage collaboration between
families, schools, community
organizations, public health services,
and policymakers.
Advocate for public funding for
programming and training.
Choose programs that promote social
and emotional learning, rather than
focusing solely on reducing specific
negative behaviors.
Choose programs based on
theoretical and empirical foundations
that have evidence of efficacy
support continuing research,
formative evaluations, and
longitudinal studies to determine the
effectiveness of programs.
Encourage teachers to focus on
addressing social and emotional
educational standards.
Implement programs that are simple A Rationale for
and easily facilitated, and that can
be incorporated into everyday life in
classrooms and schools.
Implementation
Sasha Gordon Why they are important &
sasha.gordon.91@gmail.com how to address barriers to
TRS, CTRS (Student) implementation.
Elementary Education License, K-6

Why Are Universal Prevention Programs Necessary?
1 in 5 children suffer from serious mental illnesses,
and less than 20% of these children receive the
services they need to treat these problems. Evidence
shows that when mental health disorders are left
untreated, they often lead to increased risk of other
problems such as substance abuse, violence, low
academic achievement, and suicide.
Even those children who do not suffer from mental
health disorders are not immune to challenges and
adversity. Prevention is one of the most effective
strategies that can help children develop skills and
strengths that will lead to positive development, and
reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes.
Universal prevention programs focused on social and
emotional development have the ability to support
children in developing resilience and important life
skills that will help lead to positive development and
improved academic achievement.
implemented with the whole population
on building strengths and competencies,
3 Reasons School-Wide Universal
Prevention Programs are Necessary:
1. Schools can reach more children than other
programs.
Schools are the largest system capable of impacting
children and families, and are the most effective way
to promote psychological, social, and physical health
in children through direct intervention in a setting
where children spend a majority of their time.
2. Schools can support positive development.
Schools have consistent contact with children during
developmentally critical times, and play an
important role in promoting positive development.
3. Early prevention programs are more cost effective
than later treatment.
Prevention programs can be more cost effective than
waiting and paying for intervention and treatment
services later. Many children who need services are
not receiving them, which can lead to further
problems and additional costs for schools.
What are Universal
Prevention Programs?
There are typically three tiers of
prevention programs: universal,
selected, and indicated. Universal
programs are those that are
of students, regardless of risk status or
problem behaviors. They are focused
with a hope that doing so will reduce
the likelihood or severity of future
problems.
Mental Health Facts for
Children & Teens
20% of children (1 in 5) worldwide
experience serious mental disorders.
Half of all mental illnesses begin by
age 14.
The average delay between onset
of symptoms and interventions is 8-
10 years.
Approximately 50% of students
age 14 or older with a mental
illness drop out of high school.
70% of youth in state and local
juvenile justice systems have a
mental illness.
Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of
death in youth ages 10-24.
90% of those who died by suicide
had an underlying mental illness.
https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Learn-More/Mental-Health-by-
the-Numbers/childrenmhfacts.pdf