Culturally/Contextually Responsive School-Based Mental Health Services for Low-Income Urban African American Girls: An Exploratory Study

• In Event: 49.035 - African American and Latina/o Mental Health and Counseling

Abstract

To improve culturally/contextually responsive school-based mental health services for low-income urban African American girls, it is critical to investigate frontline service providers’ perceptions and experiences. Seven school-based mental health professionals with 11 years to 22 years of experience providing school-based mental health services to low-income urban African American girls each participated in three in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using an inductive-deductive model. Participants often have insufficient time or resources to provide continuous mental health services. Participants did not perceive their practices as intentionally culturally/contextually responsive; however, they described some strategies for contextually/culturally responsive support services for youth in this demographic. The results of this exploratory study support a need to equip providers with additional strategies for culturally/contextually responsive service provision.

Authors

• Erin Harper, Miami University

• Ann C. Kruger, Georgia State University

• Joel Meyers, Georgia State University