Speaker Bio
Kathy Lombardi Kimani, MSW, LICSW, EdS
Director, Office of School Support, St. Paul Public Schools
Kathy has over 30 years' experience in Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) where she has worked as a School Social Worker, Lead Social Worker, & Mental Health Coordinator. In her current role, she leads a team responsible for district wide Social Emotional Learning, PBIS, Restorative Practices, School Attendance, and School Based Mental Health initiatives. She is a member of the District CARE Team that developed and supports the implementation of an updated threat assessment process used in SPPS.
Breakout 2A
Identifying Needs, Not Just Threats: Reimagining School Safety through CARE
Kathy Lombardi Kimani & Christy McCoy
In the wake of evolving school safety needs, St. Paul Public Schools transitioned from a traditional, often punitive threat assessment model to a collaborative C.A.R.E. (Collaborate, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate) protocol. Developed with close collaboration and consultation with Dr. Jillian Peterson and Dr. James Densley from The Violence Project, this new framework shifts the focus from "identifying threats" to "identifying needs." In this session, a member of the District Team and a member of a school-based multidisciplinary team provide a comprehensive look at this transition from both a systemic and practical perspective. We will explore the "why" behind our shift to a trauma-informed, equity-centered protocol and what that looks like inside the walls of one of our schools. Presenters will share the specific tools used to build wrap-around support plans and discuss the critical collaboration between school administration and mental health staff.
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Learning Objectives:
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Understand how to balance administrative safety requirements with clinical support,
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Understand how to navigate the real-world hurdles of implementation to build a more equitable culture of care.
CEUS: 1.5 BOSW Ethics, BOSW Clinical