MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING MHPET SCREENING/ASSESSMENT CAPACITY BUILDING WEB LINKS FAQs

School Mental Health

Why mental health in school-based health centers?

Staggering numbers of children with mental health needs do not receive appropriate services.  By conservative estimation, approximately 20% of youth need mental health intervention; some estimates range as high as 38%.  When children do receive mental health services, it is most likely to occur not in the specialty mental health sector but in public schools (Rones & Hoagwood, 2000; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999, 2001). While they have become a de facto mental health system for children, schools are not universally eager to embrace a mental health agenda as part of their academic mission.  Schools are faced with many competing priorities to raise academic standards and do not feel adequately resourced to provide mental health care in the school building.  Furthermore, stigma and poor understanding of mental health issues and services can create additional barriers to the development of mental health services in schools.

The school-based health center (SBHC) plays an important role in overcoming some of these disparities in children's mental health services as well as addressing barriers to student learning.  The school-based health care setting provides many unique advantages in providing mental health services to students.  As a result of their collaborative partnerships with schools, SBHCs can expand the community's mental health capacity and make optimal use of schools as an entry point to a full continuum of mental health services.