Virtually Assisted School Team
Free Mental Health Support for Montana K-12 Students
VAST is a school-based tele-mental health program providing free, confidential counseling for K-12 students across Montana. Services are delivered by graduate interns specializing in clinical mental health from the University of Montana and Carroll College, supervised by licensed professionals. Students meet weekly in a safe, private space at their school through secure video conferencing. In addition to direct services, VAST interns can connect students and families with other community-based resources and supports, ensuring a comprehensive approach to student well-being.
What are the benefits of VAST?
- Tele-mental health services are just as effective as in person care across populations (Hilty et al., 2013), Langarizade et al., 2017)
- Tele-mental health has been used successfully to support children with ADHD (Meyers, 2015), depression (Nelson, Bernard, & Cain, 2003), and anxiety (Carpenter et al., 2018)
- Potential benefits include positive coping, gains in mental health and wellness, and the therapeutic benefits of talking through challenging feelings
- VAST interns will also provide specific goals and tools with parents and school staff to ensure holistic improvement
When would a student benefit from VAST services?
A child may benefit if they:
- Are dealing with grief, trauma, or major life changes
- Show signs of anxiety, sadness, or social withdrawal
- Struggle with attention, focus, or classroom behavior
- Experience conflict with peers or difficulty making friends
- Face housing, food or basic needs insecurity
- Have trouble with emotional regulation or impulse control
Students don’t need a formal diagnosis – just a need for support.
What are the criteria to participate?
For schools to participate and to be in compliance with HIPAA regulations, criteria need to be in place to provide a safe and private telehealth environment. This includes:
- providing a device and space for student use
- emergency contact information for families and school staff
- community referral sources
- parent permission and authorization to exchange information, videotape sessions, and participate in a UM study
How much do VAST services cost?
The Virtually Assisted School Team is funded through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance that the Montana Safe School Center received.
MSSC and VAST are thrilled to provide services and support for students at no cost to participating schools and families.
How can a student receive services?
Schools looking to participate in the VAST program should contact:
Tammy Tolleson Knee
VAST Director
tamara.tollesonknee@mso.umt.edu
406.243.4974
To refer a child, talk to your school counselor or administrator.
Our Reach in 2024-2025
71 individuals served from 23 schools across Montana
1221 total sessions provided (average of 17 sessions per student)
45 minutes – average length of each session
Length of service ranged from 2-8 months
According to 2024-2025 student surveys, after receiving services…
- 97% of students feel capable handling daily life.
- 95% get along with family members.
- 97% get along with friends and other people.
- 89% were better at handling tough situations.
- 80% feel capable of coping when things go wrong.
- 84% rated their mental health status as ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent.’
- 100% of parents were satisfied with the overall quality of services, the Graduate Intern, the VAST referral process and the Meet and Greet.
“I liked that I was able to learn a lot of different coping skills.”
– Student
[I like the most…] “That my child had someone to talk to and ask questions.”
– Parent
“…the service provided consistent opportunity for students to get the help they needed.”
– School Admin
Montana Safe Schools Center 