Early Warning System for Student Mental Wellness | How Schools Identify At-Risk Students Before Crisis
Adam Hartley • February 3, 2026
Introduction:
Student wellness check-ins are transforming how K-12 schools identify and support at-risk students. By implementing frequent, brief wellness screenings, schools can detect warning signs weeks or months before traditional indicators like attendance or behavior issues appear. Here's how schools across Michigan are using proactive wellness data to intervene early and improve student outcomes.
Across the country, schools are grappling with a shared reality: many students' needs are identified too late. Traditionally, warning signs surface through discipline referrals, chronic absenteeism, failing grades, or crisis events. Research consistently shows that by the time these indicators appear, students are often already experiencing significant emotional distress or disengagement (CDC, 2023; NIMH, 2024).
That delay comes at a cost to students, staff, and the school community as a whole.
This is where iWellness Center is changing the approach.
Student Wellness Check-Ins - From Reactive to Proactive Student Support:
Schools using iWellness Center's early warning system
are shifting away from waiting for problems to escalate. Instead, they implement brief, regular wellness check-ins that allow students to share how they are actually doing, before issues become visible in behavior or attendance data.
These check-ins:
- Take just a few minutes
- Are developmentally appropriate
- Focus on emotional well-being, stress, belonging, and support needs
The Result: Early signals often appear weeks or months before traditional red flags.
“We were seeing patterns in student stress long before attendance or behavior changed. That gave us time to respond instead of react.”
-Middle School Principal (Rural School District, Michigan)
Research
supports this approach. Studies show that universal social-emotional screening improves early identification, reduces crisis incidents, and strengthens schoolwide prevention efforts when used consistently (Durlak et al., 2011; NCSSLE, 2022).
How School Teams Use Wellness Data for MTSS and Early Intervention:
iWellness is not just another survey; it functions as a shared decision-making system across school roles.
- Teachers gain insight into classroom-level trends and student engagement
- Counselors and social workers identify students who may benefit from Tier 2 or Tier 3 supports
- Administrators see building-level patterns tied to attendance, behavior, and climate
- Safety and threat assessment teams use early data to reduce emergencies through timely intervention
Instead of siloed information, teams operate from a single, real-time picture.
“It changed the tone of our student support meetings. We weren’t guessing anymore, we were responding to what students were telling us.”
— High School Counselor (Suburban High School, Michigan)
Integrating Student Wellness Screening with MTSS and Early Warning Systems:
Many districts struggle to meaningfully connect wellness data to their MTSS framework. iWellness addresses this gap by functioning as a Tier 1 universal check-in that naturally informs Tier 2 and Tier 3 decisions.
- Schools continue to report:
- Faster, more confident referrals
- Clearer documentation for interventions
- Stronger alignment across MTSS teams
- Fewer “surprise” crises
This aligns with ESSA and PBIS guidance, which emphasize early identification, data-informed intervention, and proactive climate supports as key levers for improving student outcomes
(ESSA, 2015; PBIS.org).
“We are no longer scrambling after something happens. We are often able to intervene earlier, when support is simpler and more effective.”
-Superintendent (Michigan)
Results: Early Identification of At-Risk Students and Better Outcomes:
Across implementations, schools consistently describe:
- Increased student trust: “Someone noticed me before things got bad.”
- More targeted use of counseling and support staff time
- More productive and focused support team conversations
- Stronger justification for staffing, programming, and resources
Most importantly, students are receiving help earlier, when outcomes are better and systems are less strained.
Easy Implementation: Wellness Screening That Fits School Schedules:
iWellness works because it fits into the daily rhythm of schools:
- No heavy IT lift
- No complex dashboards
- No data overload
"This is timely, actionable insights that support what we already want to do. Help students before they fall through the cracks.” -Middle School Counselor (Rural District, Michigan)
Ready to implement proactive student wellness screening at your school?
Schedule a free demo to see how iWellness integrates with your Student Support framework and helps identify at-risk students before crisis occurs. Request a Demo HERE.
Research References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Child and Adolescent Mental Health Data, 2024
- Durlak, J. A., et al. (2011). The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning. Child Development
- National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE). Universal Screening and Early Identification, 2022
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 2015
- PBIS.org. Data-Based Decision Making for Prevention and Intervention
Data-driven—or data-informed—decision-making has become the norm in educational institutions, at virtually all levels. As professional educators—whether we are talking about teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers, or any other position in the broad field of education—we have learned to rely on data to help us make good, sound decisions for the ultimate benefit of the students under our charge. Data have become a critical component in the daily work of professional educators. However, the quality of our decisions is directly related to the quality of the data that we collect. If we gather data of poor quality, we unfortunately must assume that the decisions based on those data will be equally poor. In contrast, if we collect high-quality data—and do so in a consistent manner—then we can have a much greater level of confidence in the decisions that we make. These fundamental qualities of data are formally referred to as validity and reliability. In essence, validity refers to the accuracy of the data that we collect. In other words, are the data that we are collecting accurately providing information that we are hoping to gather on student wellness? Reliability refers to the consistency of the data that we collect. In this case, we want to make sure that the data that we collect are as stable as possible over time. At iWellness Center, we are often asked about the quality of the check-in data provided by students. Through processes that we have incorporated into our platform, we have a great deal of confidence in the accuracy and consistency of the student check-in data that we gather. First, with respect to validity (or the accuracy of our data), the questions that we ask student in their regular check-in’s have been vetted by professional educators from various professional roles. Our items have been reviewed and revised by highly qualified individuals, including teachers, building administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, and social workers. They have offered their professional opinions and feedback not only on the focus of each of the questions that we ask students, but also on the precise wording of those questions. Additionally, this is an ongoing process and iWellness Center. As we continue to add more questions within the various areas that we assess, we continue to seek input from professionals in the field. Second, with respect to reliability (or the consistency of our data), we ensure that our data are consistent through frequent and continuous check-in’s from students. One of the best ways to establish consistency in data is through frequent and repeated measurements. Other platforms that attempt to assess student mental health and wellness will only gather data from students twice a year—once in the fall (shortly after the beginning of the school year) and again in late spring. They only provide two data points across an entire academic year upon which to base decisions. At iWellness Center, most of our school partners schedule check-in’s to occur every week or biweekly throughout an entire academic year. Even if schools were only to schedule biweekly check-in’s, that would amount to nearly 20 data points throughout the year. For schools who do check-in’s each week, that number doubles. We believe that, to obtain accurate and consistent measures of students’ mental health and wellness, the best data will result from frequent and regular check-in’s. Many of our school partners have voiced their preference for student data collected more frequently throughout the year. At iWellness Center, this is the bottom line for us: We believe very strongly in the knowledge that, if we provide opportunities for students to check-in on a regular and frequent basis throughout the entire academic year, the data that we will gather from them will be accurate and consistent. This only helps the professional educators working with those students to make accurate and informed decisions about interventions or strategies to address their mental health and wellness needs.
The Urgency of Prevention The U.S. Secret Service report, “Averting Targeted School Violence” (2021), presents a clear and urgent message: school violence is preventable when communities identify warning signs and intervene early​. One of the most striking takeaways is that students themselves are often the first to recognize distress signals in their peers. Yet, they may hesitate to report concerns due to fear, uncertainty, or lack of a trusted system. The report calls for multi-tiered intervention strategies, early detection, and a proactive approach to mental health and student support. At iWellness Center, we believe that giving students a voice and equipping schools with real-time data is one of the most powerful ways to implement these recommendations effectively. Our platform serves as an Early Warning System, ensuring that schools can identify concerns before they escalate while also empowering students with a safe and accessible way to express their emotional well-being. The Role of Early Intervention & Data-Driven Support The U.S. Secret Service report outlines clear strategies for preventing school violence, including: Early detection of concerning behaviors Encouraging student reporting and intervention Building a strong school climate with support systems in place iWellness Center seamlessly aligns with these goals by providing: A Safe, Confidential Platform for Student Check-Ins Students can regularly report their emotional well-being, stress levels, and overall mental health through simple, consistent check-ins. This approach normalizes discussions about emotions and makes it easier for students to seek and receive support before they reach a crisis point. Data-Driven Insights for Early Intervention iWellness Center’s system collects and analyzes student wellness trends, helping schools recognize patterns of distress, disengagement, or crisis risk. Truancy officers, school counselors, and administrators can use real-time data to intervene before concerning behaviors escalate. Multi-Tiered Support for Students at Different Levels of Need Schools can implement personalized intervention strategies based on student wellness trends. iWellness Center enables educators to proactively provide targeted resources—whether it’s peer support, counseling, or referrals to specialized services. Empowering Students: Creating a Culture of Connection A core theme of the U.S. Secret Service report is that students must feel empowered to speak up when they notice concerning behaviors in their peers. However, many students fear being perceived as “tattling” or worry that their concerns won’t be taken seriously. iWellness Center transforms the way schools approach student voice by: Providing a non-intimidating, digital check-in process where students feel comfortable expressing themselves. Encouraging self-awareness and emotional literacy, helping students recognize when they need support. Creating an easy and structured way for students to report concerns about their peers in a way that feels safe and supported. By fostering a culture of connection, trust, and emotional resilience, schools can intervene before crises develop—aligning directly with the recommendations from national threat assessment experts. Taking Action to Create Safer Schools The U.S. Secret Service’s findings reaffirm what educators and mental health professionals have long known—prevention is key, and every student deserves to feel safe, heard, and supported. By integrating iWellness Center’s Early Warning System, schools can: Proactively identify students in distress Empower students with a voice in their well-being Prevent crises before they escalate Creating a culture of early intervention and proactive support is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. Schools that take action now to implement these strategies can make a lasting impact on student safety, mental health, and overall success. U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center. (2021). Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools.