We examined trends in depression among 17-year-olds to understand the contribution of incoming students to the demand for collegiate mental health services. Seventeen-year-olds (N = 32,325) from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for 2008 to 2019 were included. The proportion of 17-year-olds reporting depression during their…

Background: While researchers have demonstrated the positive effects of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) on student health outcomes, less is known about the long-term impact of SBHC use on academic outcomes, such as attendance. Objective: Our objective was to examine the direct and indirect effects of SBHC use on attendance among high school…

Systemic racism is pervasive in US society and disproportionately limits opportunities for education, work, and health for historically marginalized and minoritized racial and ethnic groups, making it an urgent issue of social justice. Because systemic racism is a social determinant of health prevalent across multiple social and institutional…

Background: While adolescent mental health needs have continued to rise, schools have become a central location for adolescents seeking support for mental health needs, and approximately 96% of public schools in the United States report providing some form of mental health care to students. This study aims to explore school social workers' current…

Project Cal-Well is a cross-agency mental health initiative led by the California Department of Education focused on building capacity for sustainable school-based mental health systems in local educational agencies (LEAs) throughout California. As part of a series highlighting the work of Project Cal-Well partners in Cohort 2 (2019-2024), this…

Chronic absenteeism is a widespread and troubling phenomenon affecting high school students nationwide. Existing research identifies an inverse link between student health and chronic absenteeism. Illness is a top cause of student absence, suggesting that school-based health services may play an important role in mitigating chronic absenteeism.…

Evidence-based practices in concussion management (CM) have been codified into legislation. However, legislation is varied, and implementation is narrowly evaluated. School nurses hold a unique position to assess the implementation of health policies. The implementation of concussion management policies across Massachusetts high schools was…

Schools offer an advantageous setting for the prevention, early identification, and treatment of mental health problems for youth. However, school mental health (SMH) services are typically not based on evidence for effectiveness, nor are they efficiently delivered, with SMH practitioners (SMHPs) able to only treat a small number of students in…

Schools offer an advantageous setting for prevention, early identification, and treatment of mental health problems for youth. However, school mental health (SMH) services are typically not based on evidence for effectiveness, nor are they efficiently delivered, with SMH practitioners (SMHPs) able to only treat a small number of students in need.…

School counselors advocate for students' academic, social, and emotional needs. School counselors are at the forefront of addressing students' mental health needs. This study sought to investigate the types of mental health services available in high schools and explore school counselors' awareness of the impact these services have on gifted…

School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) often serve vulnerable populations who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) which have been tied to an increase in adult health risk factors. At an urban SBHC serving adolescent students, 75% of patients reported three or more ACEs. This SBHC also had multiple practitioner students. A…

Engaging in mental health advocacy as a high schooler has granted the author the unique opportunity to observe some of the most inspiring manifestations of hope that humanity has to offer. Simultaneously, it has opened their my eyes to the systemic underrepresentation and misrepresentation of youth. The author has been mentored by their school…

The study addressed the following research questions: how were the transition needs of students with ED being addressed by professionals in alternative or therapeutic day high schools; how were transition services provided by professionals in alternative or therapeutic day high schools for students with ED addressing the protective factors…

We describe challenges to measuring the type and quantity of mental health programs, practices, and resources that schools provide to students, as well as variation in these resources. We conducted interviews and surveys with school and district staff representing 55 middle and high schools in MetroWest Massachusetts with the goal of collecting…

During the 2015-2016 school year, the Florida Department of Health in Duval County hosted Teen Health Centers (TeenHC) at five high schools of Jacksonville providing HIV/STD screening and pregnancy testing. The purpose of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the TeenHC chlamydia screening program and determine at what student…