Call for Participants: School-Based Counselors Needed for Crisis Training Research

About the Study:

Are you a school counselor or school-based mental health counselor? Have you encountered crises in your work that felt challenging to navigate? We want to hear from you! 

Researchers from Montana State University are conducting a study to explore the crises school-based counselors most frequently encounter and assess the training and preparation needed to respond effectively. This study aims to identify training gaps and develop a specialized crisis response training protocol tailored to the unique needs and role of school-based counselors. 

Who Can Participate?

• We are seeking 8-10 counselors working in schools (school counselors, school-based mental health counselors, etc.) to participate in a focus group discussing: 

  • The most frequent and challenging crises you encounter in your role 

  • Your perceptions of current crisis training and preparation 

  • Areas where additional training and support are needed

What's Involved?

•  A 90-minute virtual focus group (May 2025) to share your experiences and insights 

• A follow-up opportunity to receive crisis response training (August 2025) and provide feedback 

• Pre-, post-, and follow-up training assessments to help evaluate the training’s effectiveness

Why Participate?

• Help shape better training and support for school-based counselors 

• Contribute to research that aims to improve crisis preparedness in schools 

• Option to participate in future stages, including receiving a specialized crisis response training

How Do I Sign Up?

This study is led by Dr. Jessica Gerthe, Montana State University. If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact jessica.gerthe@montana.edu. Thank you for your dedication to supporting students and schools—we look forward to learning from your expertise!