This document discusses school-based mental health and the role of school social workers. It notes that 20-33% of students experience mental health issues that impact their education. School social workers take an ecological perspective, addressing individual, family, school and community factors. Their roles include assessments, counseling, case management, consultation and developing multi-tiered systems of support. The goals are to identify and reduce barriers to learning, support student mental health and success, and provide professional development to reduce staff burnout. Outcomes include improved academic performance, behavior, engagement and emotional well-being as well as decreased disciplinary issues, absenteeism and dropout rates.

1. A School Social Work Perspective
Jerry Best, MSW Candidate
University of Missouri
SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH

2. MENTAL HEALTH
• “How a person thinks, feels, and acts when faced with life’s situations… This includes
handling stress, relating to other people, and making decisions.” – Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA)
• “A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities and can cope with
the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community.” – World Health Organization (WHO)
• “Mentally healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to experience a range of
emotions in appropriate and constructive ways; possess self-esteem and a respect for
others; and harbor a deep sense of security and trust in themselves and the world.
Mentally healthy children and adolescents are able to function in developmentally
appropriate ways in the contexts of self, family, peers, school and community… Mentally
healthy children and adolescents develop the ability to initiate and maintain meaningful
relationships and learn to function productively…” – National Center for Education in
Maternal and Child Health

3. THE SCHOOL POPULATION
“The problems experienced by most youngsters are psychosocial (i.e. stem from socio-
cultural and economic factors) not psychopathological and often can be countered through
promotion and prevention.” – Center for Mental Health in Schools (CMHS)
“Students with untreated mental health issues may develop more significant problems which
can greatly impact their educational experience and result in poor educational outcomes.” –
School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA)

4. • 20-33% of children and adolescents at any
given time are experiencing mental health
issues that would qualify for a mental health
diagnosis
• Effects
• Low self-esteem
• Low self-efficacy
• Low distress tolerance
• Problems relating to social environment
• Decreased engagement in the learning
process
• Attendance and truancy issues
• Disruptive and problematic behaviors
• Low school performance and
achievement
MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDENTS
Student Mental Health
Mentally Healhty
Diagnosed
Diagnosable

5. PREVALENCE
Mental Health Diagnosis Lifetime Prevalence
among 18 year-olds
(%)
Prevalence of
Severe
Impairment (%)
Mood Disorders 14.6% 11.2%
Anxiety Disorders 31.9% 8.3%
Behavior Disorders 19.6% 9.6%
Substance Use Disorders 11.4%
Any Disorder 49.5% 27.6%

6. THE SCHOOL SETTING
“Schools are where children spend most of each day. While schools are primarily concerned
with education, mental health is essential to learning as well as to social and emotional
development.” – President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

7. • School System
• Focused on educational
outcomes
• Key stakeholder in community-
based services for children and
families
• Mental Health System
• Difficult to access
• Social stigma
• Student/Family Systems
• Doing their best
• Unmet needs
SYSTEMIC FRAMEWORK
Students with Mental Health
and/or Psychosocial Problems
Not Receiving Services
Receiving Services
School-Based
Other

8. THE PROBLEM
Unmet Needs
(Psychosocial)
Mental Health
Issue
Low
Educational
Outcomes
Low
Grades/Test
Scores
Low Funding

9. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH
“School systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students. But when the
need directly affects learning, the school must meet the challenge.” – Carnegie Council Task
Force on Education of Young Adolescents
“Good emotional and behavioral health… leads to achievement of full academic potential.” –
CMHS
“The foundation of the Monroe City R-1 School District’s philosophy is to provide a quality
education for all students.”

10. RANGE OF LEARNERS
• Motivated to learn
• Able to engage
• Obtained prerequisite knowledge and skills
Group I
• Less motivated to learn
• Lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills
• Different learning rates and styles
• Minor vulnerabilities and psychosocial stressors
• May internalize negative experiences compounding stressors related to learning
Group II
• Avoidant
• Deficient in current capabilities
• May have a disability or diagnosis
• May have health impairmnets
Group III

11. ADDRESSING LEARNING BARRIERS
Learning Groups
(Student Population)
Identify students with
learning barriers
Remove or Mitigate
Barriers to Learning
(Skill Development;
Counseling & Case
Management;
Behavior Plan; etc.)
Classroom Teaching;
Practice Activities;
Homework;
Enrichment Activities
Engagement &
Participation; High
Achievement; Skill
Mastery; Graduation;
Employment; College
Enrollment
Desired
Outcome
Instructional
Component
No BarriersNo BarriersGroup I
Enabling
Component
Barriers to
Learning
Group II
Group III

12. • Universal Screening
• Universal Prevention Programming
• Early Intervention Programs
• Multitier Support System
• Response to Intervention
• Positive Behavior Intervention and
Supports
• Social-Emotional Learning
• Case Management and Coordination
• Individual and Group Counseling
• Address psychosocial issues
• Remove/reduce educational barriers
• Ensure save and positive learning
environment
• Address behavioral problems
• Decrease student behavioral
referrals
• Increase student attendance and
engagement
• Increase student achievement and
success
GOALS AND STRATEGIES
Goals Strategies

13. School
System
School-
Based
Mental
Health
Family
System
• Professional Development
• Identifying and addressing
learning and developmental
barriers
• Consultation and Support
• Reduced frustration and burnout
• Increased satisfaction and
retention
• Addressing Systemic Issues
• Student discipline
• Bullying and harassment
• Addressing other unmet needs
SYSTEMIC EFFECTS

14. A SOCIAL WORKER’S PLACE IN THE SCHOOL
“School social workers are trained mental health professionals with a degree in social work
who provide services related to a person’s social, emotional, and life adjustment to school
and/or society. School social workers are the link between home, school, and community in
providing direct as well as indirect services to students, families, and school personnel to
promote and support students’ academic and social success.” - SSWAA

15. • Incorporating social and environmental
contexts to assess individual needs
and strengths
• Promoting sustainability of treatment
outcomes
• Examining systems that may be
supportive or dysfunctional
• Assessing client’s relationship with
environment
• Understanding social and
environmental effects on functioning
and behavior
• Developing therapeutic relationships
• Creating treatment plans based on
client strengths
• Promoting sustainability of treatment
outcomes
• Empowering clients by developing
strengths and skills
PERSPECTIVES AND TRAINING
Strengths Perspective Social Ecological Perspective

16. ROLES AND SERVICES
Student Services
• Performing mental health
assessments
• Developing social or developmental
history
• Developing intervention strategies
to increase academic engagement
and success
• Providing counseling (individual,
group, family)
• Providing crisis intervention
• Assisting with conflict resolution
and behavior management
• Facilitating social-emotional
learning and development
• Assisting children develop healthy
self-concept and world view
Parent/Family Services
• Interviewing Families to assess
problems affecting the child's
educational adjustment
• Facilitating parental engagement
and support in the child's school
adjustment
• Addressing psychosocial learning
barriers related to a child's living
situation that affect functioning at
school
• Connecting parents/families with
school and community resources
School Personnel Services
• Developing and facilitating postive
behavior intervention supports
• Providing staff with essential
information to better under stand
psychosocial factors (culture,
societal, economic, familial, health,
etc.) affecting a student's
performance and behavior
• Developing professional
development presentations related
to mental/behavioral health
• Provide direct support to staff
• Provide consultation
• Assist in developing and
implementing educational
programs for exceptional children

18. MULTITIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT (MTSS)
• System of Care:
• Individualized, long-term intervetnion
• Special Education Services
• Referral and Coordination of Care
• Long-term therapy
• Juvenile Office
• Hospitalization
Tier 3 (5%)
• System of Early Intervention
• Selective and Indicated Interventions
• Short-term Counseling
• Behavior Plan and Support
• Family Support
• Monitoring Health Problems
• Learning/Behavior Accomodations (RtI)
Tier 2 (15-
20%)
• System of Prevention
• Universal Screening
• Universal Interventions
• Health Education
• Social-Emotional Learning
• Recreation
• Enrichment
• Conflict Resolution
Tier 1

19. FUNDING SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICES
School
Social
Work
Special
Education
Funds
Insurance
Billing
Grants

20. • Absenteeism and Truancy
• Behavioral Incidents
• Disciplinary Referrals
• Drop-Out Rate
• Emotional Distress
• Bullying
• Violence
• Academic Success (Grades)
• Standardized Test Scores
• School Attendance
• Parent- and Teacher-Reported
Academic Performance
• Social and Emotional Skills
• Attitudes about School and Learning
• Academic Engagement
• Academic Motivation
OUTCOMES
Increased or Improved Decreased