School-Based Mental Health: School and Community Partnerships

In order to address rising mental health issues, federal and state governments, as well as Local Education Agencies (LEAs), need to invest in capacity building that includes developing comprehensive infrastructures to provide mental health services for all children and youth. Meeting the mental health needs of students is challenging for LEAs when resources are limited. Capacity building also requires significant time and stakeholder input to develop delivery systems and to ensure ongoing oversight. Providing adequate school-based mental health services is often complicated by the absence of an evaluation process, competing school operational responsibilities, fragmented external child serving systems and providers looking to collaborate with educators, and lack of direct correlation to the core mission of the school. With strong formative efforts and financial support, LEAs can meet the wide spectrum of student mental health needs and ensure fair and equitable access for all students. Furthermore, establishing schools as centers for wellness through partnerships with mental health systems can effectively provide greater support for all children and youth.

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