School mental health services programs

Expanded school mental health (esmh) programs provide a range of mental health services to youth in both regular and special education (Weist, 1997). These... 

Bruns, E. J., Walrath, C Siegel, G. M., Weist, M. D. (in press). School-based mental health services in Baltimore Association with school climate and special education referrals. Behavior Modification. Cole, R., Poe, S. (1993). Partnerships for care Systems of care for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. Interim report of the mental health services program for youth. Washington. DC Washington Business Group on Health. 

Nabors, L. A., Reynolds, M. W. (2000). Program evaluation activities Outcomes related to treatment for adolescents receiving school-based mental health services. Children s Services Social Policy, Research, and Practice, 3,175-189. 

Concerns that disproportionate numbers of children with serious emotional disturbance were being removed from their communities led to the development of systems of care in the 1980s. In 1992, Congress passed the Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program which supported the development of these systems of care. A system of care is in or near the home and community. In fiilly developed systems of care, local public and private organizations work in teams with families and children to both plan and implement individualized services for each child s physical, emotional, social, educational, and family needs. Teams include family advocates and representatives fi om mental health, health, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, vocational rehabilitation, recreation, substance abuse, and other services. Systems of care have supported the use of mental health clinicians in schools, school- and community-based wraparound planning and services, and student support services (Woodruff et al., 1999). 

Nastasi, B. K., Varjas, K., Bernstein, R. (1997). Exemplary mental health programs School psychologists as mental health service providers. Bethesda, Kffi) National Association of School Psychologists. 

No matter how obvious a need may appear to an advocate, it will undoubtedly take a concerted effort to convince others of the need. The needs assessment can be used for this purpose. Presenting concrete data and findings to key stakeholders in the school and community can help secure support for mental health services. Because a needs assessment catalogs existing services, it can also help prevent the creation of duplicative services. In fact, it may call attention to underutilized services and/or existing programs that can be leveraged. 

Once completed, the needs assessment should be presented to the school principal to share findings and secure commitment to expand and improve mental health services. The question to key stakeholders then becomes How would you like me to move forward with program implementation at your school rather than presenting one s own agenda. Such an approach facilitates the principal and others to take ownership in the movement to expand and improve mental health services. 

Ambrbse, M. G., Weist, M. D., Schaeffer, G., Nabors, L. A., Hill, S. (in press). In M. Weist, H. Ghuman, R, Sarles (Eds.), Improving the quality and measuring the impact of a school mental health program. Ill Providing mental health services to youth where they are School and other community-based approaches. New York Taylor Francis. 

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