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!

Though recent legislation embedded with the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act mandates the use of evidence in school-based practice to demonstrate positive outcomes for all students, school social workers - especially those long out of school - often lack the conceptual tools to locate, evaluate, and apply evidence in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work. The first of its kind tailored specifically to this audience, this SSAAA Workshop title guides school professionals in infusing research throughout their daily practice. It shows school service providers a pragmatic approach to informing every major practice decision with the appropriate research so that students receive the best possible services. This includes how to use research to make reliable and valid assessments, how to use research to choose the best intervention, and how to do research to evaluate progress. Raines goes beyond creating a catalog of interventions that will soon be outdated and provides school social workers with a detailed road map of the EBP process. Chapters detail the nuts and bolts of EBP, explaining how to ask a relevant, answerable question; where to search for evidence; how to appraise the literature and avoid the pitfalls of web based information; how to adapt and apply the evidence in a developmentally and culturally sensitive way; and how to evaluate the results. Detailed examples along the way, including sample spreadsheets practitioners can easily adapt to evaluate their students' progress, bring accountability within reach for school professionals who struggle to find the time, resources, and support sufficient to apply the best evidence to their schools.

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.

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.

This handbook offers a comprehensive overview of school mental health (SMH) initiatives in rural areas in the United States. It offers clinical and administrative guidelines for innovative and effective programs addressing critical problems among rural youth and in areas where funding and resources are scarce. Chapters cover program development, implementation, sustainability, and evaluation; consider issues of community and policy support; address barriers to access and delivery; and debunk misconceptions about the region and its cultures. Chapters also discuss rural SMH applications relating to special populations, including students with autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, conduct disorders, and ADHD. In addition, the book examines the potential of school-based programs as a counter to the stigma and distrust of mental health services common to the region. “/div>Topics featured in the Handbook include: The value of rural SMH from an educator’s standpoint. Preventing suicide among students in rural schools. Substance abuse in rural school settings. Bullying and cyberbully among rural youth. Intergenerational patterns of mental illness in rural settings and their relevance for SMH. The importance of involving communities in culturally competent rural interventions. The Handbook of Rural School Mental Health is a must-have resource for researchers, scientist-practitioners, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational psychology, social work/counseling, educational policymakers, pediatrics/school nursing, teaching, and teacher education.div

Optimize the delivery of school psychology services with this book: Presents a unique consultation and intervention model Interlinks primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and intervention applications Addresses specific student and school-level needs Online resources and handouts More about the book This volume written by leading psychology practitioners and academics has been designed to meet the ever-growing challenges faced by educational systems to address the mental health, learning, and socialization needs of students. Using a unique and comprehensive consultation and intervention model, the chapters provide evidence-based guidance that interlinks primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and intervention applications that allow for systematic consultation, planning, and cost-effective services. The clear and easy to apply model is used to look at specific student needs that are commonly encountered in schools (e.g., depression, ADHD, giftedness) and at issues that require school-level interventions (e.g., diversity, promoting resilience). Practitioners will appreciate the numerous downloadable practical resources and tools for hands-on applications that are available online to purchasers of the book. This book is an invaluable resource for school psychologists and mental health service providers, as well as for academics involved in training pre-service practitioners. The materials for this book can be downloaded from the Hogrefe website after registration.

With so few therapeutic outlets readily available to young people, schools have evolved into mental health centers for many students. Yet schools are hampered by limited access to resources needed to provide mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention services. Like its acclaimed predecessor, the Second Edition of the Handbook of School Mental Health offers ways for professionals to maximize resources, make and strengthen valuable connections, and attain more effective school-based services and programming. At the same time, the Handbook provides strategies and recommendations in critical areas, such as workforce development, interdisciplinary collaborations, youth/family engagement, consultation, funding, and policy concerns, summarizes the state of current research, and offers directions for further study. Chapters model best practices for promoting wellness and safety, early detection of emotional and behavioral problems, and school-based interventions for students with anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other common challenges. In spotlighting this range of issues, the contributors have created a comprehensive game plan for advancing the field. Among the Handbook's topics: Pre-service training for school mental health clinicians. Cognitive-behavioral interventions for trauma in schools. Increasing parental engagement in school-based interventions. Models of psychiatric consultation to schools. Culturally competent behavioral and emotional screening. Bullying from a school mental health perspective. Prevention and intervention strategies related to a variety of mental health problems in schools. The Second Edition of the Handbook of School Mental Health is an essential reference for researchers, graduate students, and other professionals in child and school psychology, special and general education, public health, school nursing, occupational therapy, psychiatry, social work and counseling, educational policy, and family advocacy.