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In a postpandemic world, schools are finding themselves challenged with supporting the mental health of students affected by the pandemic on top of the preexisting needs of the students they serve. As immigrants ourselves, we are particularly sensitive to the impact this mental health crunch has on immigrant and refugee students with intersecting risk factors. To meet the growing needs of students, educators, and families, schools require coordinated interventions that address the multiple systems within which students exist and the intersecting identities that students possess. Since building partnerships is paramount to developing and fostering a continuum of services, we advocate for a service model that utilizes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and intervention initiatives across the curriculum. This multitiered model uses direct and indirect services, including consultation, professional development, and more to individualize the supports for students. It similarly permits addressing common and evolving directions in education, as well as supporting and operationalizing its policies.

Inclusive and enriching representation of immigrant and refugee students and understanding of the risk and protective factors that promote healthy adjustment are essential in promoting resilience and social–emotional development. Collaborative multidisciplinary consultation teams and school–home partnerships are important modalities for supporting healthy development in immigrant and refugee students. Coordinated and effective multidisciplinary teams are characterized by five components:

1. Clear goals and roles of participants
2. Leadership support that is democratic and allows for shared knowledge
3. Regular and efficient meetings, enhanced by advanced preparation
4. Composition of team membership that is varied based on objectives
5. Team performance that is monitored by core participants for collaborative problem-solving and modifications

Developing coordinated and integrated support systems is an intentional process that requires planning and reflection. In navigating the planning process, we encourage you to reflect on the following questions:

• Who is not at the solution planning table? Why not?
• Who is left behind? Why?
• Who advocates for equity of outcomes? How?
• Who makes shared decisions about interventions?
• Who makes sure that lessons are learned?
• Who impacts future goal setting in the cycle of the academic year?

Finally, we would like to leave you with a few takeaways: 

• Schools are trusted hubs for newcomer students.
• Fostering family–home partnerships is paramount.
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion must be embedded across consultations, school teams, and programs.
• Evolving professional evidence-based competencies in cultural diversity and ethics promise to impact equity of outcomes for school populations.
• Advocacy for and use of broad school psychology standards can promote inclusion and resilience for all, especially for immigrants and refugees.