Toward the Integration of Education and Mental Health in Schools

Abstract

Education and mental health integration will be advanced when the goal of mental health includes effective schooling and the goal of effective schools includes the healthy functioning of students. To build a solid foundation for this reciprocal agenda, especially within the zeitgeist of recent educational reforms, a change in the fundamental framework within which school mental health is conceptualized is needed. This change involves acknowledging a new set of priorities, which include: the use of naturalistic resources within schools to implement and sustain effective supports for students' learning and emotional/behavioral health; inclusion of integrated models to enhance learning and promote health; attention to improving outcomes for all students, including those with serious emotional/ behavioral needs; and strengthening the active involvement of parents. A strong research agenda to support these new priorities is essential.

Toward Enough of the Best for All: Research to Transform the Efficacy, Quality, and Reach of Mental Health Care for Youth

“…Furthermore, the authors argue, the intervention system is unable to calibrate the type and intensity of treatment to children's individual needs. Atkins et al (2010) discuss the unrealized potential for delivering mental health care in school settings. Other promising settings not mentioned are primary care, juvenile justice, community-based social and recreational programs, and substance abuse treatment.…”

“…Kelleher and Atkins (2010) posit that transition from a clinician-patient model to a public health approach will require changes in organizational culture and capacity, including assimilation of new information technologies and accountability systems. Atkins et al (2010) cite the emerging consensus to incorporate mental health services into schools as renewed motivation to find best models for integrating academic learning with emotional, mental, and behavioral health. Garland et al (2010) focus on improving usual care and assert that to do so, providers and agencies need readily available feedback on treatment process, outcomes, and implementation of evidence-based strategies.…”

“…Alleviating diagnostic symptoms is important, but perhaps more important to families are how competently a child or youth interacts with family members and peers; meets developmental milestones on time; follows rules at home, school, or church; progresses through school at normative rates; and, for an adolescent, safely navigates the transition to adulthood and holds down gainful employment. Atkins et al (2010) make this point about studies of school mental health services, pointing out that they often neglect to examine child academic performance. Given that academic learning is one of the most important daily functions of youth, ages 4-18 years, it is a crucial outcome measure.…”

Reconceptualizing Internship Training Within the Evolving Clinical Science Training Model

“…The interface of clinical psychology and public policy has emerged as a research domain in many areas, including violence prevention (Dodge, 2001), education (Atkins, Hoagwood, Kutash, & Seidman, 2010), and HIV/AIDS (Amaro, 2013). To date, few doctoral or internship programs have capitalized on this emerging interface in their training offerings.…”

Medical student’s perception on teaching-learning methods of pharmacology in a medical college

“…It is important that educators provide the high quality teaching and learning environment possible for the students. 1 Students usually follow deep or surface approach while learning. The deep approach involves an intention to gain personal understanding, with corresponding strategies to gain meaning from the learning task.…”