UM Safe Schools Center Provides Virtual Mental Health Services to Rural Schools
MISSOULA - Accessing mental health resources can be especially challenging for rural schools and communities across Montana.
To address this issue, the Montana Safe Schools Center (MSSC) partners with graduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ from the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥’s counseling, social work, and school psychology programs to create the Virtually Assisted School Team (VAST), a tele-mental health initiative designed to support Ñý¼§Ö±²¥' behavioral, mental, and academic health.
MSSC initially launched a tele-counseling program in 2020 to enhance school safety and violence prevention efforts, which was later renamed to VAST when Tammy Tolleson Knee, school support liaison at MSSC, took over directing the program in 2023.
VAST services are only offered to rural and tribal school communities, where access to mental health support is limited due to availability, distance, and/or cost.
While MSSC is exploring the possibility of expanding the program to include hybrid sessions, research supports the effectiveness of tele-mental health services. Studies show these services are just as impactful as in-person care across various populations and settings.
The results of VAST’s inaugural year (2023-2024) demonstrate the program’s success. Tele-mental health counseling was provided to 24 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ from 12 Montana school districts. In a survey, 100% of Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ reported a reduction in symptoms and an improvement in their daily lives.
“In our rural and isolated community, the service provided consistent opportunity for Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ to get the help they needed,” said one anonymous school partner.
The VAST program’s growth continues in the 2024-2025 academic year, with over 70 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ from 25 districts already benefiting from tele-mental health support.
In addition to serving rural Montana schools and Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, VAST provides UM counseling, social work, and school psychology graduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ with valuable, hands-on clinical experience.
“The interns are really immersed in VAST, so they’re learning about the nuances of tele-mental health and at the same time learning about the needs and strengths of rural Montana,” said Tolleson Knee.
Tolleson Knee said each intern brings different skills, enabling MSSC to match Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ with the right support to meet their specific needs.
VAST services are provided at no cost to participating schools and Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. Schools interested in joining the program can contact Tammy Tolleson Knee at tamara.tollesonknee@mso.umt.edu or 406-243-4974 for more information.