Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 requires that state and local agencies refrain from the discrimination of individuals with disabilities by providing them with services in the most integrated setting appropriate. Despite this mandate, state and local education agencies across the country engage in practices that could be…

Mental health-related disabilities are a leading cause of health issues worldwide. Because of this, an argument can be made that schools integrate mental health services for their students to positively impact their mental health outcomes. This article outlines how multitiered systems of support (MTSS) can assist schools in providing all students…

Physical educators can expect to work with students experiencing a mental health concern. Mental health concerns are prevalent among children and adolescents in the United States. An estimated 13 to 20% of U.S. children meet the diagnostic criteria for an emotional or behavioral disorder. The purpose of this article is to provide physical…

Dr. Jeffrey Sprague is a professor of special education and the director of the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior. He directs research and demonstration projects related to positive supports and youth violence prevention.

Core deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) center around social communication and behavior. For those with ASD, these deficits complicate the task of learning how to cope with and manage complex social emotional issues. Although individuals with ASD may receive sufficient academic and basic behavioral support in school settings, supports for…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in secondary school settings often have deficient reading skills. Secondary school teachers who serve this population of students may need additional training, support, and resources to maximize the effectiveness of the time they spend teaching reading. This article focuses on two…

The Zero Tolerance policy was intended to eliminate learners who are a danger to a learning institution (Henson, 2012). The development of this policy was to assist schools with better policing approaches of students conducts by employing tough disciplinary action and subsequently provide a safer learning environment. While the Zero Tolerance…

For many years, the field has struggled to provide effective supports and interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Rarely are EBDs identified and treated early. Additionally, students with EBDs who require intensive supports often have a myriad of needs, which can be difficult to address. Thus, the long-term…

Dr. Carl Smith shares his reflections on a varied career that included many different roles and responsibilities but shared a focus on children with behavior disorders. Dr. Smith also provides insight into where he believes the field is heading and offers his advice to those just entering the field. Perhaps the lasting advice to all is to focus on…

The first step in providing support to children and teens exposed to trauma and adversity is helping them to feel safe at school and demonstrating alternative working models of relationships. By spending time in a supportive classroom, students can learn that school can be a safe place, and that teachers and peers can be caring, thoughtful people…

The authors describe how practicing school counselors can appropriately and effectively work with African American youth regarding forgiveness. Further, the authors discuss the challenges that African American youth face. They illuminate how school counselors can help emotionally injured African American youth. As a school counseling intervention…

This article makes a distinct contribution to the understanding of establishing multi-agency working. Using Horwath and Morrison's framework, a collaboration is described in detail, bringing multiple agencies to work with children attending a new special school for those with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, and with their…

This article discusses two strategies to improve reading outcomes for middle and high school adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The first is providing secondary students a choice of accessible, engaging activities to more actively engage them during reading instruction and foster intrinsic motivation to engage in literacy…

Robert A. Gable is the Constance and Colgate Darden Professor of Special Education and Eminent Scholar at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. He earned his PhD from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and was on the faculty at Peabody--Vanderbilt and the University of Pittsburgh prior to his appointment at Old Dominion…

This is the first comprehensive clinical introduction to using a time-limited mentalizing approach for working with children, ages 5 to 12, who experience emotional and behavioral problems, including anxiety, depression, and relational difficulties. Mentalization-based treatment (MBT) promotes a child's ability to make sense of their own mind, and…