Mental Health Services in School Settings: Issues in Implementation and Integration

Children have long been acknowledged as a special needs population for a range of mental, emotional and behavioral conditions inasmuch as they are a group commonly underserved. National Data has revealed that fully 80% of children ages 6-17 who need services to address mental health concerns do not receive them.1 Moreover, when children do receive services, they are most likely to do so in school settings, with schools being the most utilized point of access for children's mental health services.2 Schools have been cited as a good fit and a logical choice for provision of mental health services in view of the existing infrastructure through which they deliver similar social-emotional support services and easy access to youth at risk or in need of services. 2,3 However, despite this ‘best fit', there is a significant gap in the translation of evidenced-based best practices into workable programs in the field. 4,5 This paper presentation will explore the structural and programmatic barriers to implementation and integration of mental and behavioral health services in schools settings. We will report on outcomes from a survey of student services staff, including guidance counselors, school social workers and psychologists, health educators, teachers, resources officers and principals providing information on implementing, integrating, and sustaining mental health services within schools. A review of the structural and programmatic barriers as well as facilitators to an integrated services delivery and referral network will be discussed along with perspectives on readiness for implementation of evidence-based practices and programs in schools.