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How Hope Squad Strengthens Student Well-Being Within Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
Supporting students’ well-being is a cornerstone of thriving schools—and Hope Squad is a powerful partner in helping this happen. Built upon well-established evidence in prevention science, Hope Squad focuses on student empowerment, human connection, peer support, and early intervention to build safer, more connected school communities.
When integrated strategically, Hope Squad naturally aligns with Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks, offering targeted interventions that meet students where they are and strengthen support at every level.
Understanding MTSS
MTSS is a comprehensive framework "designed to help schools identify students who need extra help and provide support early”1. By bringing together Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) frameworks, MTSS promotes coordinated support that addresses the needs of the whole child.
MTSS layers student support across multiple tiers:
- Tier 1: Universal supports for all students
- Tier 2: Targeted interventions for students at risk
- Tier 3: Intensive supports for students with significant needs
With this structure in place, schools can respond proactively. Embedding Hope Squad programming within the MTSS framework enhances this responsiveness and strengthens each tier through peer-led, relationship-centered support.
Hope Squad at Tier 1: Universal Supports
At Tier 1, Hope Squad contributes to schoolwide culture change. The program normalizes conversations about mental health, encourages kindness and inclusion, and fosters connection among all students.
Tier 1 supports built into Hope Squad programming include:
- Three schoolwide lessons designed to equip all students with knowledge and strategies that ensure prevention isn’t limited to a few but embraced by the entire community
- Outreach activities built into each lesson, empowering Members to share their learning with the broader school community
- Hope Week: A national week of awareness and prevention activities designed to increase connections and reduce stigma both on and off campus
- Teacher resources—newsletters, monthly tips, and more— to build mental health awareness among all staff members, not just Advisors
Furthermore, all students participate in nominating Hope Squad Members who are trained to make intentional connections across the school–an approach the CDC identifies as a key protective factor in reducing risk behaviors2. As a result, all students benefit from the culture of awareness, empathy, and resilience that is built on this foundation. In fact, 100% of Administrators surveyed agreed that Hope Squad contributed to a safe school environment.3
By strengthening Tier 1 supports, Hope Squad helps create a climate where students feel seen, safe, and supported.
Hope Squad at Tier 2: Targeted Supports
While Tier 1 focuses on all students, Tier 2 supports students who need a little more—and this is where Hope Squad Member training naturally fits in. Members are taught to recognize peers who may be showing signs of distress or facing challenges. By supporting these students before issues escalate, Members effectively act as Tier 2 supports.
At Tier 2, Hope Squad Members may:
- Check in 1:1 with targeted students
- Recognize baseline changes and reach out to students who seem “off”
- Support students through transitions, such as welcoming new students
- Practice inclusion or offer mentorship
By being trained to identify and reach out to peers who may need extra help, Hope Squad Members complement the work of school counselors and staff. Members become an added layer of support, helping students build trust, stay engaged, and navigate challenges before they reach a crisis.
Hope Squad at Tier 3: Intensive Supports
Tier 3 focuses on students who need intensive, professional intervention. Hope Squad Members are taught that they are not trained counselors or professionals who can intervene at this level; however, they are empowered with the knowledge and understanding of how to recognize when someone needs immediate help—and, critically, how to connect them to it.
By noticing warning signs and referring peers to trusted adults or mental health professionals, Members widen the safety net that can catch students in crisis. This peer-to-adult bridge is central to Hope Squad’s design, and helps students receive timely, individualized intervention from school counselors and mental health providers.
The result? A school community where no student slips through the cracks—and where peers play a meaningful role in connecting students to help when they need it most.
Why Hope Squad Enhances MTSS
At all levels, Hope Squad strengthens MTSS in schools:
- It improves school climate through education, awareness, and outreach
- It encourages targeted check-ins and relationship building with students in need
- It creates a layered safety net, bridging peer-led outreach with professional help
Hope Squad is more than a peer support program. It’s a strategic partner in schools’ MTSS frameworks. Its evidence-based designation—supported through rigorous reviews by the organizations including the State of Ohio Departments of Education and Workforce, Behavioral Health, and Public Safety4—confirms its effectiveness and compliance with state standards for suicide prevention, violence prevention, and social inclusion.
Additionally, because Hope Squad provides measurable outcomes through school-specific survey data, administrators can evaluate impact and engagement to better inform and refine Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.
When schools integrate peer-led initiatives like Hope Squad with their academic and behavioral support, everyone benefits. Students feel safer. Staff feel supported. And school communities become more connected, proactive, and equipped to meet the whole child needs of every learner.
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1https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/what-is-mtss/
2https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/su/su7201a2.htm
3 2024-2025 Hope Squad Administrator End of Year Survey
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