(2021, October) | Useful to Parent Centers and all stakeholders concerned about and involved with student well-being.
This release from the U.S. Department of Education joins the many recent products from ED to support how schools and communities support and see to the well-being of children. Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health provides information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and the social and emotional well-being among children and students. This resource highlights 7 key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K–12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents 7 corresponding recommendations. This resource includes many real-world examples of how the recommendations are being put into action by schools, communities, and states across the country.
Access this thorough and important publication at:
https://www2.ed.gov/documents/students/supporting-child-student-social-emotional-behavioral-mental-health.pdf
More information about what this 103-page publication includes is provided below.
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What Challenges Are Discussed?
The 7 challenges identified in this ED resource for the field are:
- Rising Mental Health Needs and Disparities Among Children and Student Groups
- Perceived Stigma as a Barrier to Accessing Services Even When Available
- Ineffective Implementation of Practices
- Fragmented Delivery Systems
- Policy and Funding Gaps
- Gaps in Professional Development and Support
- Lack of Access to Usable Data to Guide Implementation Decisions
For each, evidence-based practices and thought-provoking recommendations are detailed. These include action steps for state, district, school, and program leaders; action steps for educators; and implementation tips. Appendices add to the richness of this document and spotlight:
- state stories;
- additional implementation examples by recommendations;
- technical assistance centers related to social, emotional, and mental health; and
- guidance on existing programs that can support social, emotional, and mental health services for students.