Minnesota School Readiness Report

What if research could change lives?

RESEARCH  •  COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING  •  WRITING  •  COLLATERAL 

Start with what you know

To help the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Department of Education enhance school-based behavioral health services for youth across Minnesota, our team conducted a statewide school readiness assessment. To fully understand the needs and what was already known, we started by digging into existing state data and past survey results. 

Listen and learn

Next, we met with state staff to determine what new questions needed to be answered and what audiences should have input in the process. The goal was to discover the awareness, barriers, and willingness of schools to implement federally funded school-based mental health services. It was determined that many audiences—school leaders and administrators, teachers, social workers, behavioral health practiontiers, and state employees—would all have a perspective worth knowing to gain broad insight. Through a process of multiple focus group sessions, our team engaged in deep listening that revealed both obstacles and new opportunities. 

Report and recommend

The research results were analyzed and reported to the core team. Additionally, to turn data into action, our team created a series of specific strategies and action steps the state could take to address barriers and improve mental health outcomes for youth, especially those in rural, remote, and Tribal-adjacent school districts. The final report was designed into an engaging and easy-to-follow visual communication tool that could be shared across agencies to aid in moving the research forward into the next phase of implementation efforts.