For many children, schools are the main or only providers of mental health services. In this visionary and comprehensive book, two nationally known experts describe a new approach to school-based mental health—one that better serves students, maximizes resources, and promotes academic performance. The authors describe how educators can effectively coordinate internal and external resources to support a healthy school environment and help at-risk students overcome barriers to learning. School leaders, psychologists, counselors, and policy makers will find essential guidance, including: • An overview of the history and current state of school mental health programs, discussing major issues confronting the field • Strategies for effective school-based initiatives, including addressing behavior issues, introducing classroom-based activities, and coordinating with community resources • A call to action for higher-quality mental health programming across public schools—including how collaboration, research, and advocacy can make a difference Gain the knowledge you need to develop or improve your school's mental health program to better serve both the academic and mental health needs of your students!

What would a school look like if it was designed with mental health in mind? Too many public schools look and feel like prisons, designed out of fear of vandalism and truancy. But we know that nurturing environments are better for learning. Access to nature, big classroom windows, and open campuses consistently reduce stress, anxiety, disorderly conduct, and crime, and improve academic performance. Backed by decades of research, Schools That Heal showcases clear and compelling ways--from furniture to classroom improvements to whole campus renovations--to make supportive learning environments for our children and teenagers. With invaluable advice for school administrators, public health experts, teachers, and parents Schools That Heal is a call to action and a practical resource to create nurturing and inspiring schools for all children.

This book presents general guidelines for integrating mind-body practices in schools, as well as a more detailed recommendations for implementing specific interventions using a three-tiered service delivery model.

Mental Health and Academic Learning in Schools: Approaches for Facilitating the Wellbeing of Children and Young People investigates the many areas impacting on young people’s learning and mental health in a unified manner. Offering a new model for teaching, learning and connecting with young people, it provides compelling evidence about the intertwined nature of students’ academic performance, mental health and behaviour. The book presents integrated models and strategies that serve to enhance student learning and promote wellbeing. Chapters explore issues relating to classroom management, school culture and leadership, staff wellbeing, pedagogy, inclusion and the curriculum. Placing students at the centre of decision making, the book showcases innovative models and strategies that schools might use for preventing problems, engaging students and identifying and addressing learning or mental health problems that some students might experience. This book will appeal to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of mental health and education, and will also be of interest to school counsellors, educational psychologists and those working with young people in schools.

Though recent legislation embedded with the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act mandates the use of evidence in school-based practice to demonstrate positive outcomes for all students, school social workers - especially those long out of school - often lack the conceptual tools to locate, evaluate, and apply evidence in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work. The first of its kind tailored specifically to this audience, this SSAAA Workshop title guides school professionals in infusing research throughout their daily practice. It shows school service providers a pragmatic approach to informing every major practice decision with the appropriate research so that students receive the best possible services. This includes how to use research to make reliable and valid assessments, how to use research to choose the best intervention, and how to do research to evaluate progress. Raines goes beyond creating a catalog of interventions that will soon be outdated and provides school social workers with a detailed road map of the EBP process. Chapters detail the nuts and bolts of EBP, explaining how to ask a relevant, answerable question; where to search for evidence; how to appraise the literature and avoid the pitfalls of web based information; how to adapt and apply the evidence in a developmentally and culturally sensitive way; and how to evaluate the results. Detailed examples along the way, including sample spreadsheets practitioners can easily adapt to evaluate their students' progress, bring accountability within reach for school professionals who struggle to find the time, resources, and support sufficient to apply the best evidence to their schools.

′A clearly written, well-structured and practical account of how to help and support children and young people with mental health problems, and those at risk of developing such problems... The book concludes with an excellent listing of organisations and resources′ - SENCO Update ′A highly practical and impressive book... I like the short introductions and the concise summing up within each chapter... The book is suitable for teachers as well as counsellors and outside agencies involved in school referral work... deserves to be widely read and to have its ideas put into practice′ - Therapy Today ′I feel the book should be compulsory reading for everyone who works with young people, but especially pastoral heads and senior teachers with responsibilities in this area′ - Janine Phillips, Class Teacher Mental Health is now a mandatory component of the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) curriculum. This book is a practical guide for teachers, explaining the difference between counselling and counselling skills, as well as looking at how mental health issues affect children′s behaviour, self-esteem, motivation and achievement and so on, and what the school can do about this. Issues covered include: - the difference between counselling, and counselling skills - employing a counsellor in schools - how to set up and run counselling provision in a school - information on counselling, psychotherapy and talking therapies - when to refer - peer support - mental health and emotional intelligence in the curriculum - lesson ideas and plans for PHSE

Mental health and well-being are becoming increasingly important areas of focus in education, yet schools often find themselves lacking the tools, time and resources to tackle the issues. Mental health support is frequently seen as an additional responsibility of the school setting, rather than a core aspect of it. This practical, fully accessible book provides straightforward guidance and low-budget strategies to help school settings get mental health support right. With a focus on the well-being of both students and staff, chapters focus on techniques to develop self-esteem, manage behaviour and build positive relationships at all levels. Key features include: low-cost and easy-to-implement strategies suitable for the busy classroom environment, as well as whole school approaches downloadable activities and planning sheets based on cognitive behavioural therapy techniques a focus on building strong foundations based on mental health basics Refreshingly honest and conscious of the realities of the school environment, this book is a crucial tool for anybody working within education.