About Connecting Students with the Right Forms of Mental Health Assistance. A Center Report

Broadly conceived, mental health in schools focuses on (1) promoting social-emotional development, (2) preventing mental health and psychosocial problems, (3) enhancing resiliency and protective buffers, (4) intervening as early after the onset of behavior, learning, and emotional problems as is feasible, and (5) addressing the needs of students with chronic and severe problems. Based on our Center's work with schools, this report begins by highlighting that mental health assistance at schools can take the form of (a) open-enrollment programs, (b) direct instruction, (c) psychosocial counseling, and when problems are severe, (d) highly specialized interventions. Then, we delineate processes for connecting students with the right assistance (i.e., identifying and clarifying need, triage, consultation, referral, and monitoring/managing care). We also highlight the mental health dilemma that arises in responding to school-wide crises and end with a note about diversity.