Learn how schools can align a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) for mental and behavioral health to move from crisis response to proactive connection. Explore real district examples and discover how Presence and Move This World help schools build sustainable, equitable wellness systems across all tiers.
Strategies for Alignment, Prevention, and Student Success
Based on the March 2025 webinar, “Building Effective Mental Health & Behavioral Wellness in Schools: Strategies for Alignment, Prevention, and Student Success,” featuring Joelisse Galarza (IDEA Public Schools), Sara Potler LaHayne (Move This World), and Kate Eberle Walker (Presence). Moderator: Kendall Sweeney.
From reactive to responsive: a new era of student wellness
Many educators across the country today face an uncomfortable challenge: 9 out of 10 see mental health as a barrier to student success—and less than 40% feel equipped to address it. Anxiety, behavior struggles, and burnout are rising—and schools are still catching up.
In our March 2025 webinar, Move This World, Presence, and IDEA Public Schools explored how to use a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) to move from reactive crisis management toward connected systems of care. Their shared vision: a school where every student, teacher, and family speaks a common emotional language—and where support is available before challenges escalate.
The national pulse: what educators are saying
A collaborative survey of educators across 41 states revealed a landscape full of strain and promise. Most respondents agreed that student mental health deeply influences learning, yet many districts still struggle to align their systems:
- 94% believe that aligning supports across MTSS tiers leads to better outcomes
- 81% of those who’ve already aligned their systems are seeing those improvements firsthand
- While 60% of schools say they have an MTSS framework for mental and behavioral health, fewer than 40% feel they have the resources to execute it well
- Less than 8% believe their mental health systems are as robust as their academic ones
The message behind the data is clear: Many educators want alignment, but they need the capacity and structure to make it real.
MTSS as a foundation for mental and behavioral wellness
A well-designed multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is more than a model; it’s a shared philosophy. When school districts apply MTSS to mental and behavioral health, it can become the connective tissue between classrooms, counseling teams, and families.
- Tier 1: Students learn the emotional vocabulary and proactive regulation strategies they will return to time and again. Teachers practice and model the same language. The entire school begins to hum with a consistent rhythm of shared routines.
- Tier 2: Students receive additional small-group practice and coaching. Because the core language is already in place, these interventions feel like extensions—not detours.
- Tier 3: Students receive the most specialized support: clinical therapy, behavioral interventions, and psychological services. The best systems ensure that even these intensive services echo the Tier 1 foundation.
As Sara Potler LaHayne, CEO of Move This World, put it:
“The dream state is one where every adult and student is connected, supported, and resilient. That only happens when we stop working in silos.”
A case study: how IDEA Public Schools turned data into alignment
When Joelisse Galarza joined IDEA Public Schools in 2019 as their Director of Mental Health & SEL, their mental health structure was still emerging. Several years later, the district now delivers over 178,000 direct mental health services, totaling 2.1 million minutes of support across more than 140 schools.
That progress didn’t come from one big initiative; it came from layered, intentional steps. IDEA scaled Tier 1 practices using Move This World, protected counselor time, and built districtwide data systems to monitor progress. Over three years, their Tier 1 implementation rose from 30% to 79%, creating a strong foundation for Tier 2 and Tier 3.
Galarza reflected on what made the difference:
“We started with pilots and buy-in tours. Once leaders saw the data and student impact, it shifted from ‘optional’ to essential.”
Building alignment and continuity across tiers of support
Mental and behavioral health work can lose efficiency and efficacy if resources operate in isolation. When Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 teachers and specialists work with different approaches and without shared visibility, students end up navigating disconnected systems.
Aligned districts can better avoid that fragmentation. Students can hear the same strategies in therapy that they practiced in morning meetings. Counselors can reference the emotional language used in classrooms. Families can reinforce the same skills at home. Teachers can recognize early signs more quickly because everyone is watching for the same cues.
Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of Presence, described the impact from a clinical angle:
“When our clinicians step in for Tier 3 support, understanding the Tier 1 and Tier 2 language helps us meet the student where they already are. That’s what makes connected systems powerful.”
Expanding capacity through technology
Even well-designed MTSS plans can fall short if staffing limitations become the bottleneck. When used intentionally, technology can help districts deliver high-quality support without compromising standards.
Presence expands district capacity through:
- Remote evaluations that help schools keep pace with compliance timelines
- Teletherapy services, including speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, behavioral services, and more
- The secure Kanga platform, which allows providers to schedule, document, and manage sessions—all in one place
Through technology designed for schools, Presence providers have delivered more than 7 million sessions to nearly 10,000 schools, helping districts stay compliant, reduce backlogs, and expand equitable access to care.
Bringing families and staff into the circle
The benefits of a sustainable system to support student mental health and behavioral wellness can also extend to providers, families, and school leaders. Staff members often learn to model emotional regulation and shared language, creating a culture where wellness feels lived, not announced. School district leadership can anchor that culture by embedding wellness into strategic plans rather than treating it as a nice-to-have.
At home, families may begin to practice Tier 1 skills in small, approachable ways—through check-ins in the car, conversation starters at dinner, and winding-down routines at bedtime. As Potler LaHayne noted,
“Families don’t need more programs. They need simple, joyful ways to keep the work going at home.”
Your district roadmap: moving from crisis to connection
A connected MTSS system grows through small, disciplined steps. School districts can begin by:
- Defining a clear Tier 1 foundation and training school staff to model it
- Running short, structured Tier 2 cycles that include progress monitoring
- Using tele-assessment to lighten evaluation backlogs and support compliance
- Formalizing handoffs between tiers so students experience continuity of support
- Protecting provider time with the same care given to instructional minutes
- Offering family resources in multiple languages for at-home reinforcement
- Tracking belonging and well-being alongside academic data
Together, these steps can create a system that responds early and consistently—well before a crisis sets in.
Make the move toward more connected support
Through our work with schools nationwide, we’ve found that mental health and behavioral wellness works best when it isn’t left to chance or limited to the availability of a single staff member. When Tier 1 lessons, Tier 2 supports, and Tier 3 clinical services reinforce each other, school districts can move away from reactive problem-solving and toward more coordinated and proactive support.
Presence partners with school districts to build the capacity, structure, and alignment needed to support students with compassion, clarity, and consistency.
Schedule a consultation to explore how your school can strengthen connection and coordination across tiers of support.
