Overview
A safe and welcoming school environment allows every student to achieve academic growth as well as develop the skills necessary for learning. The implementation of effective strategies and best practices, within a variety of settings, improves the overall school climate and individual student outcomes. It is important that each student, within the Local Education Agency (LEA) and school, be taken into consideration in the development of behavior support programs. The Behavior Support Program provides links to relevant legislation, guidelines, and research-based strategies to help schools support positive behavioral outcomes and social competence for every student. Behavior support happens on a continuum with discipline being the last resort.
The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Behavior Support Team provides guidance and technical assistance to LEAs as they navigate the behavior needs of their students. The team provides professional learning, resources, and other supports that encourage the use of evidence-informed, data-driven strategies and practices that build the BSE skills of their students.
Contacts
|
Krisanne Lewis |
Ashley Lower Behavior Support Phone: (801) 538-7611 | Email |
Becca Rae Behavior Support and Bullying Prevention Phone: (801) 538-7667 | Email |
|
Levi Grisenti |
Tanya Semerad Significant Cognitive Disabilities Phone: (801) 538-7726 | Email |
Terrakay Bodily School-based Mental Health Specialist Phone: (801) 538-7647 | Email |
|
Millie Mortensen |
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Behavior Support Resources
Least Restrictive Behavioral Interventions (LRBI)
The updated LRBI Technical Assistance Manual and supporting documents will be posted in fall 2025. For questions, please contact Ashley Lower (ashley.lower@schools.utah.gov) or Krisanne Lewis (krisanne.lewis@schools.utah.gov).
Emergency Safety Intervention (ESI) Resources
ESI Meeting Agenda and Minutes Template - coming soon
Utah's School Behavioral Health Toolkit
Utah’s School Behavioral Health Toolkit Collaborating to Address Mental and Emotional
Wellness for School-Aged Children
Note: For all the features to work in this document, it is best to download it first.
Other USBE Resources
Roles in Crisis Situations: A Document for Supporting Students in Emotional/Behavioral
Crises
State of Student Behavior and Mental Health in Utah - Infographic
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS)
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
Special Education
For any questions specific to Special Education behavior concerns, please contact Krisanne Lewis at krisanne.lewis@schools.utah.gov or (801) 538-7882.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
A nonprofit education research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals through UDL.
Utah Multi-tiered System of Supports (UMTSS)
Utah Multi-Tiered System of Supports (UMTSS)
Utah State Board of Education UMTSS
Laws and Policies
House Bill (H.B.) 411: Student Behavioral Health Services Amendments
Utah State Legislature
R277-609: Standards for LEA Discipline Plans and Emergency Safety Interventions
Utah State Board of Education Administrative Rules
Visit the Student Services Laws and Policies page for additional information.
Professional Learning
Student Services Training Request Portal (TRP)
The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Student Services Training Request Portal (TRP) is an online tool for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to request specific Professional Learning (PL) and Technical Assistance (TA) support from the USBE. The information submitted is used to help coordinate PL and TA across the state to ensure that LEA needs are addressed and met in an efficient manner.
Utah’s School Behavioral Health Toolkit Webinars
Visit the School-based Mental Health Professional Learning page for more information about these webinars.
Mandt De-escalation Training
The Mandt System® is a comprehensive, integrated approach to preventing, de-escalating, and if necessary, intervening when the behavior of an individual poses a threat of harm to themselves and/or others. The focus of the Mandt System® is on building healthy relationships between all the stakeholders in human service settings in order to facilitate the development of an organizational culture that provides the emotional, psychological, and physical safety needed in order to teach new behaviors to replace the behaviors that are labeled “challenging”.
Structure: Each training section has a maximum of 20 participants. Masks may be required depending on local guidelines.
Target Audience: Special Education Teachers, School Psychologists, School Social Workers, School Counselors, School-based Mental Health Providers, General Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, School Administrators, and more.
Dates and registration information for Fall 2025 are coming soon.
For content questions, contact Ashley Lower (ashley.lower@schools.utah.gov).
For registration questions, contact Millie Mortensen (millie.mortensen@schools.utah.gov).
Behavior Support Newsletters
2025 - 2026
2024 - 2025
The Utah State Board of Education Behavior Support newsletter is sent out monthly. If you would like to be added to the list please send an email to behaviorsupport-join@lists.uen.org with the subject line “subscribe”.