The debate about mental illness and the importance of good mental health especially in the classroom has surged. Promoting child mental health is a global priority, and educators have an important role to play in mitigating this public health crisis. Early identification, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatment of mental health disorders can…

School-based health centers (SBHCs) are a model of healthcare where services are delivered in clinics on school campuses (Kjolhede et al., 2021; Harris et al., 2016), with research indicating the delivery model has several educational benefits (Kjolhede et al., 2012; Arenson et al., 2019; Knop et al., 2016). Research findings supporting the use of…

Obesity is leading cause of death worldwide. Childhood obesity has jumped to 22.4% in 2020 from 19.3% in 2019. One-third of children are overweight and obese, with an approximately 66% chance of becoming an obese adult. The costs of obesity are to overall health: financial, physical, social, and emotional. Obesity affects students at school, a…

This case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff of mental health services at the elementary level in a rural district. Mental health services provided in elementary school settings can ultimately change the outcome of individuals' lives. Many districts in North Carolina lack the funds to hire mental health counselors, and must rely…

Background: School age children are expected to have a normal body mass index which is commensurate with their age group. The prevalence of childhood obesity and overweight is increasing in alarming rates in developing countries, with the highest rate in the Middle East region. School nurses' involvement in childhood obesity prevention practices…

Social communication deficits present in some neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), create challenges in social, academic, and adaptive functioning throughout the lifespan. Since the number of people diagnosed with ASD with comorbid ADHD is rising, it is…

Rates of migration continue to rise in the United States; between 1965 and 2015, new immigrants and their ancestors accounted for 55% of population growth. In Latin America, ongoing violence, extreme poverty, and political instability force many families to migrate north to the United States. Before, during, and after migration, immigrant children…

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other researchers, the prevalence of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among school-aged children has gained the attention of researchers. Due to the large amount of time children spend in the school context, researchers have found that teachers play a…

School social workers provide services and resources for children with disabilities and protect their rights. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics provides the school social workers' responsibilities to clients in the promotion of well-being. The present research involved identifying the school social workers' role in…

Positive mental health is an essential aspect of development from childhood through adulthood. Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences cognition, feelings, and behaviors. Mental health wellness determines how an individual responds to stress, engages with interpersonal relationships, and makes healthy…

This project explored the phenomena of school based mental health practitioners' experience with animal assisted therapy. The purpose of this study was to begin to identify and understand the existing gap between a promising practice and a profession that could be aided by its use. Analysis of qualitative data gathered from semi-structured…

Online learning continues to grow at unprecedented rates. K-12 had more than 275,000 students enrolled in full-time virtual schools in 2011--2012 and over 2 million participating in at least one online course. Despite this growth, there is little research on model formation and model validation for online learning. Two research-based models were…

The COVID-19 pandemic has negative effects on children, adolescents, and adults. Despite these effects, information about the nature of mental health concerns and services provided to address these concerns by elementary school counselors is unknown. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine mental health concerns elementary…

Seven K-8 Salem County, New Jersey Schools were surveyed regarding safety and security protocols in conjunction with student mental health awareness. The administration at these school districts were asked to identify breakdowns in their policies and procedures, along with protocols for addressing student mental health awareness. These findings…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn what practicing educational leaders state are the competencies needed for school administrators to access school-based mental health services for students. Research questions included what competencies of elementary principals facilitate the provision of mental health services for students in…