Trinity@RuthBatson

Trinity’s embedded school support program

The gross disparities for Black and Brown youth in educational supports, outcomes, and disciplinary policies have been well documented for decades. In the U.S. public school system, high rates of student drop out are disproportionately concentrated in under-resourced communities of color (Child Trends Databank, 2018). Additionally, research has shown that Black and Brown youth and youth from low-income households are more likely to be exposed to a higher number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)- such as being witness to community violence, losing a parent to incarceration, death or deportation, or being treated unjustly due to race/culture/ethnicity (Slopen, et.al., 2016; Merrick, Ford & Ports, 2018). The impact of ACE’s on students’ ability to learn are well documented, yet the schools who support the highest needs students do not get the resources needed to provide a healing and trauma-informed school community.

Trinity@RuthBatson connects students and staff at the Ruth Batson Academy in Dorchester to support and resources

that assist the school in becoming a healing and inclusive educational community. The Trinity@RuthBatson (FKA BCLA/McCormack 7-12 School) began in 2013 as an embedded program with a focus on supporting students with chronic absenteeism. In the six years since its inception, the program has grown into a collaborative partnership with the the Ruth Batson Academy in creating an educational environment that understands, embraces, and supports the holistic needs of each student – specifically focused on the needs of students dealing with trauma and toxic stress.

how Trinity@RuthBatson works

The Trinity@RuthBatson program is on-site at the Ruth Batson Academy 4 days a week throughout the school year, meeting students and staff where they are and providing in-vivo support throughout the day. Our program recognizes that young people bring all of their lives into school and that social-emotional and academic development go hand in hand. With this in mind, the Trinity@RuthBatson program runs three complementary initiatives for the Ruth Batson community:

Direct clinical support, which provides holistic mental health, case-management,social-emotional learning and school engagement support to students identified at highest risk for not attaining a high-school diploma.

Trauma-Inclusive and Restorative culture, which supports school staff in developing the skills and practices that create a trauma-inclusive and restorative school

Creating a village of support, which helps to bring together community partners, local resources and private donors that can meet the many needs of the students and families at Ruth Batson (ex. Food, clothing, dental care)

The Trinity@RuthBatson team is truly embedded in the life of Ruth Batson, and the depth of our involvement enhances the work we are able to do throughout the school community.

Trinity@RuthBatson's impact

Trinity@McCormack partnered with SEED Impact to create SEL (social-emotional learning) Competency Ladders and retrospective student surveys to assess the growth of students receiving clinical services.

65%

growth in SEL skills over 1-year period

87%

of students increased their attendance

94%

of students showed improvements in positive coping skills and a decrease in acting out behaviors.

163

circles were held

227

227 Students received free clothing through Catie’s Closet

"Trinity was one of the first places I felt able to show emotions like sadness and anger without being punished for it. It was liberating."