Profiles in Mentoring: Eric Bruns and Erin Wick on School-Based Paraprofessionals

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Eric J. Bruns, PhD., is a clinical psychologist and mental health services researcher whose work focuses on strengthening real-world implementation of effective behavioral health care in schools, public mental health systems, and family- and youth-run organizations. His research centers on care coordination for youth with complex needs, school mental health, and public-sector implementation of evidence-based practices. We recently spoke with Dr. Bruns and colleague Erin Wick, Executive Director of Integrated Student Support at AESD Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program, about the role Student Assistance Specialists (SAS) can play in improving student mental health outcomes, featured here in The Chronicle!

Chronicle (C): What originally drew you to studying paraprofessional roles in school-based behavioral health, and was there a particular moment or experience that convinced you this approach could be part of the solution to current workforce shortages?

Eric J. Bruns (EJB): Based on nearly 20 years of experience evaluating school behavioral health, the UW SMART Center has learned that school-employed professionals such as school counselors, nurses, and psychologists, have responsibilities that greatly constrain their ability to mobilize effective social-emotional prevention or interventions strategies. To fill that gap, schools and districts typically turn to licensed MH providers who are employed by outside clinics. Barriers borne of misaligned role definition and productivity expectations, confidentiality rules, and lack of training on practices that fit the school context greatly limit these professionals’ ability to meet the needs of schools and students. A different type of practitioner and program type is badly needed to provide the array of Tier 1 and 2 services and supports that schools most need. However, few such models exist with any research backing.

The opportunity to evaluate WA AESD’s BH-SAP program provided us with a chance to support development of such an innovative strategy for our home state and potentially meet a massive research need for the field of school mental health and education more broadly; specifically, could BH-SAP provide a more cost-effective and appropriate strategy for investing in school mental health? Is the BH-SAP practitioner role capable of providing a greater range and volume of effective supports to student wellness?
This evaluation provided that opportunity for UW SMART: To collaboratively define the role of a practitioner who could actually meet real-world needs: Partnering meaningfully with school staff, providing Tier 1 prevention services, intervening early with students, screening with a research-based instrument, and referring for more intensive support when needed.
What’s more, the evaluation shows the program achieves its goals, both with respect to measurable outcomes as well as its many intangible positive impacts for schools and communities. Especially given how sparse the research base is on paraprofessional models such as BH-SAP, UW SMART Center is now all in on this research agenda.

C: In this study, you document wide variation in how Student Assistance Specialists implemented the BH-SAP model across regions—what did you learn about balancing fidelity to a statewide framework with the need for local adaptation in real school settings?

Erin L. Wick (ELW): The BH-SAP model was intentionally developed to provide a unified framework that could be responsive to local needs. This balance is an active effort that we continue to refine.  Our basic approach is to prioritize consistent implementation of essential elements—universal prevention, early identification, clear referral pathways, skill-building supports and appropriate supervision—while allowing flexibility in how those elements are delivered. For example, the rubric structure and minimum standards for universal prevention campaigns ensure that this core element is consistently met, but each site has flexibility in the specific messaging, activities, and duration of the identified campaigns. They may also implement additional campaigns to address topics identified based on local data, priorities, and identified student needs. Ongoing training, coaching, and reflective supervision support this balance by helping staff adapt to the work thoughtfully while adhering to the BH-SAP model. And, just as the staff reflect and discuss with their supervisors, those supervisors meet monthly as a team with the statewide leadership to share lessons learned, review data, address implementation challenges, and ensure continuous alignment between local adaptation and statewide fidelity to the BH-SAP model.

C: Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and risks if states and districts try to scale models like BH-SAP nationally, particularly in terms of training, supervision, and career pathways for paraprofessionals?

ELW: Scaling models like BH-SAP nationally presents significant opportunities alongside important risks that states and districts must proactively address. A key opportunity is expanding access to early identification, prevention, and intervention supports related to student mental health and substance use through student assistance professionals who are paraprofessionals embedded in schools. However, successful deployment depends on strong state and regional infrastructure that provides supervision, oversight, and implementation support to ensure services are delivered safely and effectively at all levels. Standardized training aligned to core competencies in both behavioral health and substance use prevention, paired with consistent regional supervision and clear accountability structures, helps maintain quality and fidelity as systems scale. Clear career pathways for student assistance paraprofessionals—including defined role progression, stackable credentials, and alignment with licensure or degree programs—further strengthen recruitment, retention, and workforce sustainability. The greatest risks arise when expansion outpaces infrastructure; without sufficient supervision, coaching, and role clarity, implementation can become inconsistent and compromise service quality. Ultimately, national scaling requires sustained investment in the core infrastructure that enables student assistance paraprofessionals to function as a well-supported, integral component of a comprehensive, tiered system of student supports addressing both mental health and substance use.

Read the full paper here.