Youth mental health crises in the USA increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools are uniquely positioned to address the growing mental health needs of youth by connecting them with mental health services; however, they are often under-resourced to provide these services. This study used community resource mapping to identify the…

As students present to school with mental health needs, the role of schools has evolved to include the provision of school-based mental health services delivered across a continuum or multitiered system of supports. Within this framework of services, students can receive intensive mental health services at the Tier 3 level. School-based mental…

Research has consistently demonstrated the benefits of school mental health (SMH) services on the well-being of students. Administrators play an important role in the implementation and sustainability of SMH services within a school. However, school principals' perspectives regarding their role in SMH implementation are underrepresented in…

Schools have become primary providers of mental health services for children and adolescents (Kern et al. in School Mental Health 9:205-217, 2017). Within schools, school principals play a significant role in the implementation of school-based mental health (SBMH; Langley et al. in School Mental Health 2:105-113, 2010). This multimethod study…

Background: Educators in rural schools are uniquely situated to address youth mental health disparities, yet often face challenges in delivering mental health supports. This paper describes the process of adapting the evidence-based Coping Power program, a small group prevention program for youth with aggressive behavior problems, to be a…

The rising prevalence of mental health challenges among youth has created a pressing need for effective, feasible, equitable, and contextually relevant interventions. Educators and school mental health professionals face critical challenges in helping students overcome such barriers to school success. This makes the need for school-based…

This study examined principal perspectives on barriers and strengths or assets associated with the delivery of school mental health services in their school and considered whether the common determinants that principals identify vary by geographic locales (i.e., city, suburban, town, and rural). Participants were 638 principals from across the…

The purpose of this scoping literature review was to examine research on police involvement in school mental health crisis response. The search was conducted in PsychInfo, PubMed, and ERIC and initially identified 315 articles. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 47 articles remained. Detailed review and data extraction by three…

Despite prevalent student mental and behavioral health (MBH) needs in rural communities, school mental health systems have not been thoroughly examined in rural areas and lack the perspectives of individuals who often help implement and utilize these systems (i.e., educators and caregivers). This study examined rural caregivers and educators'…

Treatment integrity is critical to realizing the effects of evidence-based programs and practices (EBPPs) that aim to promote student mental and behavioral health. Across disciplines, time is consistently referenced as one of the most significant barriers to successful implementation outcomes (e.g., treatment integrity) of EBPPs. However, there is…

Partnerships between mental health (MH) clinics and school systems in which providers deliver MH services on school grounds are growing. To date, however, there is little research examining MH clinic administrator perspectives on how this service delivery model affects continuity and quality of MH services among low-income youth. We conducted a…

Behavioral health practitioners recognize how critical the process of implementation is to the successful use of evidence-based practices. It is further recognized that implementation is a complex, time-consuming process and that successful implementation often occurs in stages. Capitalizing on a national evaluation examining the implementation of…

School-based mental health services (SMHS) offer a unique opportunity to embed support within a key developmental context, yet little research has examined SMHS providers' fit within schools' complex ecologies. Using a social-ecological framework, this qualitative study draws on focus groups with 67 SMHS providers from two large mental health…

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school disruptions shined a spotlight on the mental health needs of young people, and the importance of schools and school social workers (SSWs) in attending to those needs. This study sought to understand SSWs' views about mental health and trauma in relation to the pandemic and schools reopening. Data came…

Implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in under-resourced schools serving ethnic and racial minority youth is challenged by intervention, individuals', and setting characteristics. Engaging community members in equitable partnership improves implementation outcomes and provides resources (e.g., workforce capacity, funding), but can…