Given adolescents' increased mental health needs, there is a demand to critically investigate policies in place that are specifically designed to support students with mental health disabilities. Teachers are inadequately prepared or trained to support students with anxiety or depression. According to the U.S. Department of Education, mental…

The following article addresses existing literature on transition services for adolescents with serious mental illness (SMI) who need specific and customized supports during the transition from high school to post-secondary school or employment. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine how the implementation of supports will positively impact…

This case study is designed for use in graduate courses in student affairs and higher education administration. This case presents some of the challenges that higher education professionals face concerning policies and laws as they relate to student mental illness and emotional support animals. Requests for emotional support animals are becoming…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how a community of practice for faculty in higher education might improve interaction and understanding between faculty and students with disabilities, therefore supporting engagement and retention. In this context, a community of practice is defined as a group of individuals who will…

This paper will describe the research surrounding the challenges that international students face when they study abroad at American universities. After an overview of faculty obligations regarding the mental health issues of students, the article will explore the stressors of language, academics, and cultural adjustment. Then the article will…

Research points to significant numbers of students on college campuses experiencing mental health distress and an ever increasing number of college students who are choosing to make an off-campus educational experience a part of their college careers. When we consider both of these trends together, it is quite apparent that a significant number of…

This issue of "Policy and Practice" offers counselors and student affairs professionals strategies to effectively support the mental health needs of today's students. Students require transparent, connected, and flexible systems that meet the full range of mental health needs. To achieve such systems, institutions must have a robust…

A recently filed lawsuit in Compton, California ("Peter P. et al. v. Compton Unified School District," 2015) has been making national news. The lawsuit highlights the prevalence of trauma exposure, particularly among underserved youth, as well as the need for school-wide, trauma-informed practices to enhance resiliency among students and…

Data collected by the US Department of Education in 2008 indicate that US colleges and universities enrolled 707,000 students with disabilities, divided roughly equally between public and private institutions. The survey found that 31 percent of these students reported learning disabilities, 18 percent ADD or ADHD, 15 percent mental illness or…

For legal issues in the field of disability compliance, this is an exciting time in postsecondary education. The twentieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signals a reawakening of the commitment to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities. This chapter explores three of the compliance issues that will be of…

In 2017, the National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC) released its first in a series of professional development briefs that focus on the professional development needs and interests of Neglected or Delinquent (N or D) State coordinators, correctional educators, and providers of…

Making the "right" risk management decisions involving students with significant psychological disabilities requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of the legal obligations and duties at issue. It also requires taking into consideration the best interests of these individual students. At the same time, decision makers must focus…

The author reports on few schools that offer extra services to those with learning disabilities. Although a growing number of children are being diagnosed with mental and emotional disorders that prevent them from succeeding in college, such as autism, ADD and ADHD, few colleges have created programs that provide them the help they need to make it…

Disability is not something one experiences in isolation of other characteristics. Sociocultural characteristics, such as race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability, interact with each other in various combinations forming unique adults. When interacting with other characteristics, disability can dominate the other…

Being deaf and in prison is a horror. The main fear of prison inmates, whether Deaf or hearing, is that they will be raped, killed, or subjected to other forms of violence. Such fears are based in reality. The recent overcrowding of jails and prisons has increased these problems significantly. A major reason for this situation is the blatant…