The overarching mission of the SMART Center is to promote quality improvement of school-based mental/behavioral health services, thereby preventing or ameliorating mental health problems more effectively and promoting the social-emotional and academic development and success of youth across school, home, and community contexts. This mission is advanced through the identification, implementation, and sustainment of evidence-based behavioral health practices in schools.


Main Challenge

Through our collaboration between faculty in the College of Education (CoE) and the School of Medicine (SoM; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences) at the University of Washington, SMART facilitates more equitable, effective, and integrated approaches to research and technical assistance surrounding the design and implementation of evidence-based SEB interventions.

Our Approach

  • We develop contextually-appropriate, low-burden programs that prevent or ameliorate SEB problems
  • We develop strategies for communities, districts, and schools to increase the use of effective SEB programs, practices, and policies
  • We support indigenous providers such as teachers and school-based mental health providers in their roles, and enhance the interconnections across school, home, and community contexts.

Jodie Buntain-Ricklefs
Managing Director of Community Outreach
jjbr@uw.edu
206-616-9392