Roles and Functions of School Mental Health Professionals Within Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems

Course overview

This course will examine the need for comprehensive mental health services in the school setting. Mental health concerns have risen among youth, and the factors involved with this increase will be examined. The current study being discussed in this article/course describes and discusses the core clinical competencies which are needed to implement the key features of a comprehensive school-based mental health system. The training standards and professional competencies of four school-based mental health professionals (school psychologists, school social workers, school counselors, and school nurses) will be discussed. Additionally, allocation of these professionals' time is reviewed based on a systematic review of the literature. Recommendations for implementing an integrated model of school mental health (SMH) services are described.