Investing in school mental health programs has the potential to improve youths' access to mental health services. Barriers to the implementation of school mental health programs include limited workforce capacity, competing priorities, and lack of coordinated care. The current paper describes the history, development, and key components of the…

This article provides readers with information regarding the impact of disasters on children. It introduces basic relief efforts and mental health services that are common to most disaster-related situations. Classroom- and community-based interventions are also included along with conclusions and key points for educators.

Community based programmes for adolescents receiving mental health services have been previously linked with the effective acquisition of knowledge, change in perceptions and attitudes, as well as change in behaviours. This article will detail how the new Teen Life Skills Programme was able to address some of the barriers and equip the…

Currently one in 50 American school-age children is diagnosed with Autism. Although Asperger Syndrome is no longer acknowledged as a separate diagnosis, this article refers to high-functioning individuals with Autism as having Asperger Syndrome, since it is a culturally relevant term. One of the most challenging times for individuals with Asperger…

Drawing on their experience with school tragedy and resultant trauma, as well as from their leadership in their field and in the National Association of School Psychologists, the authors derive five guidelines for crisis prevention, preparedness, and response.

This article tracks the trajectory and impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the communities of Houston/Harris County, Texas, USA, the schools, children, and families; along with the community partnerships that addressed the trauma and upheaval. Following the influx of individuals and families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita…

ExpandED Schools (formerly TASC) has spent the past 17 years helping schools and community organizations find the right partners. This resource guide offers a guide to the strategic questions school teams might ask themselves and their potential partners to have the best outcomes for young people. The following attachment is included: School…

Large scale natural disasters pose serious risks to mental health and simultaneously wreak havoc on the very systems called upon to ameliorate those risks. School-based mental health services have been identified as a potential mechanism through which gaps in service delivery systems can be addressed in post-disaster environments. We believe that…

There is increasing empirical evidence demonstrating the negative impact of racism and other social injustices on individuals' mental and emotional health. Those findings challenge counselor educators and practitioners to address social injustices in professional training programs and communities across the country. This article illustrates a…

Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. Many people may be surprised to learn that suicide was one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States in 2009. And death is only the tip of the iceberg. For every person who dies by suicide,…

This article describes the opportunities and challenges encountered in the service-learning adaptation of an early childhood primary prevention program through the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston Auburn College. In the face of economic and social challenges confronted by many communities, service-learning models are proposed as essential…

Describes how a university-based continuing education program for mental health professionals helped to change the organization of community mental health services in Los Angeles, California. (Author/GC)

A state-sponsored and county-sponsored program in Hennepin County (Minnesota) provides preventive and crisis intervention services in three schools serving severely emotionally disturbed students. The program utilizes a county social worker in the schools to coordinate services, intervene in crisis situations, and facilitate appropriate treatment…

In the wake of a U.S. Justice Department investigation that found widespread use of excessive force by staff at upstate psychiatric care facilities for mentally ill children, this new edition of Child Welfare Watch identifies shortcomings in mental health services and explores possible solutions, including the expansion of alternatives to…

Recounts how one community's response to tragedy illustrates that a community-based system of care can meet the needs of individuals, families, and organizations in culturally competent ways. Examines how the implemented program successfully meets the community's needs for coordinated children's mental health services on the community's terms.…