Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has proven to be an effective model to address a variety of behaviors. When applied in a multitiered system within a school setting, students have the opportunity to benefit from primary prevention through instruction in emotional regulation skills, and when indicated, targeted and intensive intervention to address challenging and high-risk behaviors. School psychologists can leverage their skills as systems change agents and their expertise as mental and behavioral health professionals to apply principles of DBT to school-based service delivery, ensuring that students have access to high-quality skills instruction and intervention within a multitiered framework.

Workshop Objectives:

This session will help participants

1. describe the foundations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and applications for school-based mental and behavioral health services;
2. identify key features of intervention implementation across tiers and describe how components of DBT service delivery are applied at each tier;
3. utilize tools and resources, including intervention pathways, to plan for implementation within a multitiered system; and
4. identify and plan for potential challenges to implementing comprehensive mental and behavioral health services.

Prerequisite Knowledge

None.

Practical Tools

Intervention pathways, scope and sequence of DBT skills.