President Theme: Innovative Ways to Provide Rural Communities Access to Mental Health Services Through Technology and the MTSS Model

Rural schools face unique and persistent barriers to delivering timely, equitable mental health services—including workforce shortages, geographic isolation, and limited access to specialty care. This session will highlight innovative, scalable solutions that leverage technology and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to expand high-quality mental health services for students, families, and educators in rural communities. Drawing on statewide implementation efforts in Utah—including partnerships with San Juan County Schools, the Utah Navajo Nation, and frontier districts—participants will learn how teleconsultation, virtual training environments, digital screening tools, and integrated data systems can strengthen MTSS Tier 1 prevention efforts, enhance Tier 2 early intervention, and provide sustainable access to Tier 3 specialized supports. The session will share practical strategies for cross-agency collaboration; lessons learned from implementation in culturally and linguistically diverse rural communities; and examples of how technology can reduce isolation, increase provider capacity, and improve student outcomes. Participants will be able to: 1. Leave with concrete models, tools, and policy considerations they can apply in their own settings—demonstrating how innovative, technology-enhanced MTSS approaches can close gaps in service delivery and promote mental health access for all learners, regardless of geography. CEC’s Presidential Strand (Innovative Access; Innovation Redefined) is sponsored by Let’s Go Learn