What is SEL?

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is defined as “the process through which children enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling and behaving to achieve important life tasks. Those competent in SEL are able to recognize and manage their emotions, establish healthy relationships, set positive goals, meet personal and social needs, and make responsible and ethical decisions.” (Elias et al, 1997; Payton et al, 2000.)

Considered within a traditional school context, SEL underscores how essential it is to attend to a child’s mental health in order to ensure the child’s success in school. Research indicates that SEL has a significantly positive impact on children’s attitudes, behaviors and school performance.

SEL and the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act

MHAI was a key partner in advocating the Illinois General Assembly to pass the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003. The Act was “designed to develop a comprehensive system of community and state programs, services and resources that promote the mental health of children ages birth to 18, intervene early to address potential mental health needs, and provide comprehensive mental health services to those who need them.” (IVPA Connection, Fall 2005).

Three of the Act’s mandates, include:

Illinois establish the Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP), which is charged with developing and monitoring a statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan;
Every school district in the state develop school policies for social and emotional development; and
The State develop social and emotional learning standards as part of Illinois’ learning standards, to be implemented in public schools throughout the State.

* MHAI serves as one of 25 Governor’s appointed members of the Partnership.

For more information about the Children’s Mental Health Act, please visit www.ivpa.org .

To find the Illinois SEL standards, visit www.isbe.net and click Illinois Learning Standards on the menu at the top of the page.

MHAI’s SEL Consultation

For over twenty years, MHAI has implemented mental health related programs in Chicago area schools, including evidence-based social and emotional learning programs. MHAI has also provided consultation to Chicago public schools to implement SEL standards and practices.

MHAI provides SEL consultation to schools to assist them in developing a strong SEL framework for their buildings and implement SEL practices that are effective and sustainable.

MHAI’s consultation includes:

Staff development
Regular meetings with school leadership
Assistance in creating SEL Leadership Teams and ongoing work with each team
Facilitation of school/community assessment to help focus planning
Assistance evaluating SEL efforts

Currently, MHAI’s trained SEL Coach is working with Chicago Public School District 299 in six elementary schools and five high schools to assure that a school-wide and community-wide stakeholder group is empowered to learn, model and teach social-emotional competencies for children, including self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills and social awareness. Research shows that these competencies also lead to higher academic achievement and better mental health.

For more information about social and emotional learning and how MHAI can assist your school, please contact Caryn Curry, Director of Prevention, at ext. 18 or at ccurry@mhai.org.

Illinois SEL Standards Professional Development Project

MHAI’s Director of Prevention currently serves as the SEL Project Coordinator for the Illinois SEL Standards Professional Development Project. The project is an integral part of the Children’s Mental Health Plan which serves as a blueprint for the state to promote social and emotional development and improve the children’s mental health system.

The goal of the project is to ensure that all Illinois public schools implement the SEL standards, whose development and implementation were mandated by the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003. The goal is being achieved through grant programs that create statewide Cadres to provide training and ongoing technical assistance to schools on social and emotional learning. Schools learn how to develop SEL as framework for educational practice, as well as learn strategies and tools to implement effective and sustainable SEL programs and practices.

The project’s initial grantees were selected in 2007. The initial Cadre includes 16 individuals representing Regional Offices of Education in the state’s six educational regions; an Intermediate Service Center, serving Suburban Cook County; and MHAI, serving Chicago Public Schools. The initial school includes 38 school districts across the state and 85 schools within those districts.