State laws governing recreational and medicinal cannabis use are trending toward legalization, which has implications for school social workers and the students, families, and communities they serve. The patchwork of policies and conflicting public opinion sends mixed messages to youth and families who may lack sufficient information regarding…

High school students who present with psychiatric needs face significant challenges in terms of navigating their mental health treatment and educational goals. Students are vulnerable to becoming disengaged from their peers, education, and mental health treatment when they are in the liminal position of transitioning from mental health…

The purpose of this thesis was to write a grant for Paramount Unified School District in California to implement a curriculum on child abuse prevention for students in grades kindergarten through 5th grade (K-5) based upon the evidence-based HealthSmart curriculum. This educational initiative will focus on child sexual abuse prevention and will be…

Between 1993 and 2012, the suicide rates for African American children between the ages of five and eleven doubled whereas rates for Caucasian children in the same age group declined. Although suicide rates were higher among males, a significant increase in female suicides is causing alarm. The growing number of suicides among African American…

Incidents of sexual misconduct by educators continue to become more prevalent in the United States, resulting in negative social, emotional, and psychological effects on many students. School social workers are professionals with backgrounds in prevention, intervention, and advocacy; however, very little literature has examined the roles of school…

Mental health-related disabilities are a leading cause of health issues worldwide. Because of this, an argument can be made that schools integrate mental health services for their students to positively impact their mental health outcomes. This article outlines how multitiered systems of support (MTSS) can assist schools in providing all students…

The 2019 Student Opportunity Act creates a once-in-a-generation moment for Massachusetts students: the Commonwealth has committed $1.5 billion dollars over seven years to make good on the promise that best-in-the-nation education can be a reality for all Massachusetts children, especially English learners and students from low-income families. But…

Since its inception in four cities in 1906, school social work has struggled to clearly define its unique professional contributions--its skills, perspectives, and purpose--as it has sought legitimacy and recognition within the fields of education and social work. The purpose of this article is to bring a historical lens to the professional…

School social workers and school security personnel are increasingly being integrated into U.S. schools; however, there is little available literature concerning the interactions between school social workers and school security personnel. This article will report descriptive findings of a study that investigated school social workers'…

School social work licensure or certification has undergone dramatic policy shifts throughout the United States that have changed the eligibility requirements of the state credentialing agencies and influenced enrollment in school social work licensure education courses. These changes have affected the professional school social work workforce in…

This dissertation examined North Carolina (NC) principals' perceptions of the roles of school social workers through the lens of an Ethic of Care (EoC). The researcher argues that principals may not fully understand the role for a variety of reasons. One such reason is that the role developed outside of the school setting. Role clarity is needed…

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is an urgent public health concern. Given the dire consequences for exploited youth, growing attention has been focused on the importance of preventing, identifying, and responding to CSEC in school settings. Despite calls for schools to be prepared to identify and respond to CSEC, limited specific…

Background: Among the most contested topics within special education research concerns racial disparities in students identified with disabilities. This phenomenon, referred to as disproportionality in special education placement, is historically rooted in concerns surrounding the overrepresentation of Black students in special education across…

Researchers have stressed the importance of developing resilience in young children so that they can successfully address social-emotional challenges later in life. There is a gap in early childhood research regarding the prevention of social ills, such as bullying, depression, and anxiety, by developing resilience and promoting pro-social…

This article looks at the American Dream as a merit narrative to understand how it supports barriers to educational success for educators working to improve the lives of students in urban schools. Hard work/perseverance and individualism are interrogated as components of merit narratives used to sustain the American Dream. We analyze data from six…