This qualitative study focused on the insights of the participants in order to provide a more significant understanding of how they view their skills and abilities when providing mental health supports as a novice school counselor. A generic qualitative approach was used to answer the following research question, "What are the self-efficacy…

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationships of preK-8 professional school counselors' (PSCs') work motivation with their perceptions of importance and levels of implementation of Maryland's state standards based on the national standards created by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The…

This study used quantitative measures to explore child abuse reporting trends for early career school counselors and to examine factors influencing their decisions to report suspected child abuse. Thematic coding was used to analyze recommendations for additional training needs regarding child abuse reporting and for the challenges school…

Mental health practitioners working within school or community settings may at any time find themselves working with youth presenting with suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Although always well intended, practitioners are making significant clinical decisions that have high potential for influencing a range of outcomes, including very negative…

Using an evidence-based framework in a mixed-method study, we examined the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) in a middle school in the eastern United States and identified strategic intervention approaches to enhance ELL students' sense of school belonging to promote academic success. We illustrate how describing a problem as part of an…

The Office of Shared Accountability (OSA) in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) is conducting a multiyear evaluation of the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program. The ACES program is a collaboration between MCPS, Montgomery College (MC), and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) to create a seamless pathway…

Counseling self-efficacy (CSE), defined as one's beliefs about his or her ability to effectively counsel a client, is an important precursor of effective clinical practice. While research has explored the association of CSE with variables such as counselor training, aptitude and level of experience, little attention has been paid to CSE among…