BRYT: Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition

How to access the program/practice?

Contact Paul Hyry-Dermith, EdD, Director of BRYT, at paul_hyry-dermith@brooklinecenter.org or call (413) 219-8587 to review available training options.

What is the program/practice? 

One in every five U.S. adolescents has a serious mental health condition and 10 percent will experience extended absences from school. For these students, school re-entry can be overwhelming, fraught with problems including depression, anxiety, and fear of social rejection. The challenge of recovery while managing typical adolescent social and academic pressures can lead to a high rate of relapse. Up to half of students with serious mental health disorders drop out of high school. Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT, pronounced “bright”) is a model of innovative school bridge programs which equips schools to provide short-term intervention, improve student outcomes, get 85% or more of students back to their regular academic schedule, and bring dropout rates down to as low as 8%.  

Who is the program/practice for? 

While depression, bipolar and anxiety disorders, and concussions are some of the most frequent reasons why students enter BRYT programs, schools may prioritize students in association with any of a number of situations where integrated academic, clinical, family, and care coordination supports are needed.  

What outcomes does the program/practice produce? 

• Improve school performance on standardized measures including attendance, functioning, and academic performance. 
• Improve collaboration and engagement  
• Reduce dropout rates  
• Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety  

What is the evidence or research that supports the program/practice? 

The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health. (2018). BRYT Notes: Changing School Culture to Support Student Mental Health. https://www.brooklinecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/BRYTNotesReport_FromTheBrooklineCenter.pdf 

In this review of BRYT in 6 high schools, four significant findings emerged about how BRYT positively impacts school wide understanding and student supports related to mental health. One finding was that BRYT reduces stigma around mental health. The second finding was that through design, schools were better able to address school mental health. The third finding is that BRYT improves collaboration. The final finding showed that BRYT improves engagement through innovation and flexibility.  

White, H., LaFleur, J., Houle, K., Hyry-Dermith, P., & Blake, S. M. (2017). Evaluation of a school-based transition program designed to facilitate school reentry following a mental health crisis or psychiatric hospitalization. Psychology in the Schools, 54(8), 868–882. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22036 

The paper describes demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics of 189 program participants across eight high schools. Improvements were observed in participants’ day-to-day functioning based on the results of pre/post assessments completed by program clinicians. Fewer than 20% of students in the BRYT program had to be re-hospitalized and over 90% remained on track to graduate. Preliminary data showed positive trends in participants’ school attendance and high school graduation rates. Finally, the paper considers implications for school-based mental health practice and next steps in related research. 

How is the practice implemented? 

BRYT partners with schools and districts to provide the tools, framework, and ongoing counsel to help them define, structure, and launch their own bridge program for students identified as their school’s priority population. The three building blocks of BYRT are:  

• Space: BRYT programs run in a dedicated classroom within a school, a room that is both comfortable and work-oriented, open throughout the school day to support students in the program. 
• Staffing: BRYT rooms are fully staffed at all times, so that students can always reach a caring, skilled adult.  
• Services: BRYT combines clinical support (counseling, crisis intervention, psychoeducation, referrals), academic support (partnership with teachers to develop an academic plan, help students manage school work, and provide basic tutoring), family support (frequent communication with families, crisis support, education, and leadership development), and care coordination (transition planning, coordination and communications with school staff and community providers).  

Who can implement the practice? 

In BRYT’s model, each program has a program leader/clinician, who may be a social worker, counselor, or psychologist, and an academic coordinator, who may be a teacher or a classroom aide or tutor. 

What are the costs and commitments associated with becoming trained in this practice? 

Please contact BRYT for the most recent costs and commitments.

You may contact Paul Hyry-Dermith, EdD, Director of BRYT, at paul_hyry-dermith@brooklinecenter.org or call (413) 219-8587 to bring BRYT to your school or district. You can also email Courtney Tucker at courtneytucker@brooklinecenter.org for more information on professional development opportunities. 

What resources are useful for understanding or implementing the practice? 

• Website: https://www.brooklinecenter.org/services/school-based-support/bryt-program/ 
• Information for schools: https://www.brooklinecenter.org/centers/bryt/program-creation/ 

Rating: Promising Practice

Secondary components: Positive Youth Development; Grief-Informed & Trauma-Informed Practices; Positive Behavior Interventions & Support; Building Relationships, Managing Emotions & Decision-Making Skills; Positive Safe & Supportive School Climate