Community Mental Health Professionals Collaborating in Schools

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 61
  In Roundtable Session: Leveraging Collaborative Family, School, and Community Partnerships to Support Students

Abstract

Community mental health professionals (CMH; e.g., counselors, social workers, psychologists) play critical roles in school mental health (SMH) programs that address nonacademic barriers to learning. These professionals work with educators to leverage expertise and coordinate care across systems. Little is known about the experiences of CMH professionals who collaborate in SMH, resulting in scarce guidance for research and practice. Addressing this gap, this study investigates 263 CMH professionals’ experiences working in SMH programs to explore types of, influences on, and perceived benefits of SMH collaboration. Results suggest participants believe they mostly collaborate with families; and outreach to school colleagues and school administrator support are important influences on SMH collaboration across professions. Implications for research and practice are suggested.

Authors

• Naorah Celia Lockhart, 2M Research Services

• Elizabeth A Mellin, Binghamton University - SUNY