School Mental Health

For many children, schools are the main or only providers of mental health services. In this visionary and comprehensive book, two nationally known experts describe a new approach to school-based mental health—one that better serves students, maximizes resources, and promotes academic performance. The authors describe how educators can effectively coordinate internal and external resources to support a healthy school environment and help at-risk students overcome barriers to learning. School leaders, psychologists, counselors, and policy makers will find essential guidance, including: • An overview of the history and current state of school mental health programs, discussing major issues confronting the field • Strategies for effective school-based initiatives, including addressing behavior issues, introducing classroom-based activities, and coordinating with community resources • A call to action for higher-quality mental health programming across public schools—including how collaboration, research, and advocacy can make a difference Gain the knowledge you need to develop or improve your school's mental health program to better serve both the academic and mental health needs of your students!

This book presents general guidelines for integrating mind-body practices in schools, as well as a more detailed recommendations for implementing specific interventions using a three-tiered service delivery model.

The Springer Series on Human Exceptionality Series Editors: Donald H. Saklofske and Moshe Zeidner Handbook for School-Based Mental Health Promotion An Evidence-Informed Framework for Implementation Alan W. Leschied, Donald H. Saklofske, and Gordon L. Flett, Editors This handbook provides a comprehensive overview to implementing effective evidence-based mental health promotion in schools. It addresses issues surrounding the increasing demands on school psychologists and educational and mental health professionals to support and provide improved student well-being, learning, and academic outcomes. The volume explores factors outside the traditional framework of learning that are important in maximizing educational outcomes as well as how students learn to cope with emotional challenges that confront them both during their school years and across the lifespan. Chapters offer robust examples of successful programs and interventions, addressing a range of student issues, including depression, self-harm, social anxiety, high-achiever anxiety, and hidden distress. In addition, chapters explore ways in which mental health and education professionals can implement evidence-informed programs, from the testing and experimental stages to actual use within schools and classrooms. Topics featured in this handbook include: · A Canadian perspective to mental health literacy and teacher preparation. · The relevance of emotional intelligence in the effectiveness of delivering school-based mental health programs. · Intervention programs for reducing self-stigma in children and adolescents. · School-based suicide prevention and intervention. · Mindfulness-based programs in school settings. · Implementing emotional intelligence programs in Australian schools. The Handbook for School-Based Mental Health Promotion is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and policymakers as well as graduate students across such interrelated disciplines as child and school psychology, social work, education policy and politics, special and general education, public health, school nursing, occupational therapy, psychiatry, school counseling, and family studies.

What would a school look like if it was designed with mental health in mind? Too many public schools look and feel like prisons, designed out of fear of vandalism and truancy. But we know that nurturing environments are better for learning. Access to nature, big classroom windows, and open campuses consistently reduce stress, anxiety, disorderly conduct, and crime, and improve academic performance. Backed by decades of research, Schools That Heal showcases clear and compelling ways--from furniture to classroom improvements to whole campus renovations--to make supportive learning environments for our children and teenagers. With invaluable advice for school administrators, public health experts, teachers, and parents Schools That Heal is a call to action and a practical resource to create nurturing and inspiring schools for all children.

In an educational milieu in which standards and accountability hold sway, schools can become places of stress, marginalization, and isolation instead of learning communities that nurture a sense of meaning and purpose. In Ensouling Our Schools, author Jennifer Katz weaves together methods of creating schools that engender mental, spiritual, and emotional health while developing intellectual thought and critical analysis. Kevin Lamoureux contributes his expertise regarding Indigenous approaches to mental and spiritual health that benefit all students and address the TRC Calls to Action.

A comprehensive and practical guide to understanding the links between mental health and school attendance in children and young people.

"This book related to fundamental recognitions that 1) children, adolescents, and families usually make no or very poor connections to specialty mental health (see Atkins et al. 1998; Catron, Harris, & Weiss, 1999), 2) schools are where children and youth are, and 3) many advantages accrue when education, mental health, and other youth-serving systems join together to better meet the mental health needs of students, in ways that reflect reducing and removing barriers to learning (Andis et al., 2002; Weist, 1997). National and global networks are increasingly recognizing the centrality of the SMH agenda as reflected in increasing funding, growing training opportunities, key policy initiatives, and an advancing research base that involves localities, states, regions and countries pursuing common themes"--

School-based Mental Health: A Framework for Intervention provides essential steps for integrating community-based personnel and programs into school systems for the provision of mental health services. Based on the current school mental health research and practice landscape, the framework consists of governance structures, funding methods, accountability procedures, system change protocols, multi-tiered systems of support, training guidelines and the implementation process. Comprehensive checklists, templates and examples are included. The framework builds on the School-based Integrated Support Services Model (SISSM), developed in our preceding book, Barriers to Learning: The Case for Integrated School Mental Health Services. A unique component of the framework is the key integration role allocated to school-based district-employed mental health professionals. This innovative framework facilitates the provision of evidence-based mental health interventions that are aligned with school district goals and needs.