Mental Health Assessment
Mission Statement
To establish a mental health framework of assessments and supports for all students
where the proper resources and research-based strategies are utilized for all students.
Purpose
Identify students in need of support and assist families in finding resources through outside counseling and government agencies.
We will follow a "brief treatment, solution-focused” process: the district will provide initial in-house counseling and support with a solution-focused goal of finding the right help and support for each student.
Please click below to read a copy of our letter to families (English y Español):
Assessment FAQ
What is the BIMAS-2?
BIMAS stands for Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System. The test contains 34 statements that serve the purpose of universal screening. Each statement is accompanied by a scale with 5 choices that ranges from "Never" to "Very Often."
The BIMAS-2 provides universal screening for the following categories:
Behavioral Concern Scales (Identify risks)
- Conduct - anger management, bullying behaviors, substance abuse, deviance
- Negative Affect - anxiety, depression
- Cognitive/Attention - attention, focus, organization, planning, memory
Adaptive Scales (Identify strengths and areas for improvement)
- Social -social, communication
- Academic Functioning
What kinds of questions are on the assessment?
- For grades 3-5, the questions on the assessment are basic behaviors observed in the classroom by the teacher. These would be the same behaviors a teacher would share with a parent on ClassDojo, at a parent-teacher conference, or on an office referral.
- Teachers are documenting whether they observed behaviors or actions within the last 5 days. Examples include: “Student appeared angry”, "Student shared what they were thinking about”, "Student appeared tired or sleepy”, "Student engaged in risk taking behavior”, “Student felt emotional or upset”, and “Student followed directions”.
- For grades 6-12, students have the option to fill out the assessment. They will document how much they agree with specific statements, based upon how they have felt within the last 5 days. Options include: “I felt angry”, "I felt sleepy or tired”, “I maintained friendships”, "I felt anxious”, "I tried my hardest when it came to schoolwork”, and “I had thoughts of hurting myself”.
How long will the assessment take to complete?
The assessment is 34 questions and will take roughly 3-5 minutes to complete online.
When will my child take this assessment?
In grades 3-5, the teacher will be completing the assessment. In grades 6-12, the student will be completing the assessment. All students in grades 3-12 will be assessed during the 2023-2024 school year.
Tentative Schedule:
|
School |
Dates |
|
Millville High School |
October 17 - 20 (Complete) |
|
Lakeside Middle School |
October 24 - 26 (Complete) |
|
Thunderbolt Academy |
January 22 - 26 (Complete) |
|
Silver Run Elementary |
April 8 - 12 |
| R.M. Bacon Elementary |
April 15 - 19 |
|
Holly Heights Elementary |
April 15 - 19 |
|
Mt. Pleasant Elementary |
April 22 - 25 |
| Rieck Avenue Elementary |
April 22 - 25 |
What happens after my child completes this assessment? Who sees the results?
Once the assessment is complete, only your child's school counselor or child study team case manager will see the results. The District Crisis Coordinator will also be looking at the data to make sure all students who need additional supports and tiered interventions are provided those services.
The information collected during the assessment will be kept confidential and shared only with the individuals above in order to provide appropriate support. We take the privacy of our students very seriously, and all information will be handled in strict accordance with our school's policies and legal requirements.
How will parents/guardians be involved?
All parents/guardians have the right to opt their child out of this assessment. Once the assessment is completed, any parent/guardian that has a child identified as Some Risk (Yellow) and High Risk (Red) will be notified by their school counselor through a phone call and possible meeting to review the assessment.
How will the results of this test affect my child’s experience at school?
The results will have no effect on their experience at school in regard to attending school and participating in school events. The focus of this assessment is to identify students in need of additional supports through counseling, school involvement in clubs/ activities, the ability for staff to check in and check out with the student, and when necessary, connect families with our outside resources and organizations.
Will the results be in my child’s record?
There will be no results located in a student’s school record. The data is available to the District Crisis Coordinator and the Executive Director of Student Services to review and help plan district-wide school supports and interventions through Tier 1 programs. We will preserve the data to see if a child improves when the assessment is administered in the future and to determine if interventions were successful.
Assessment
Opt-Out Form /
Formulario de Exclusión Voluntaria:
About the BIMAS Assessment:
Contact Us: