Are Mental Health Services in U.S. Public High Schools Sufficient?

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  In Poster Session: General Counseling Topics (San Diego)

Abstract

This paper describes the availability of mental health services to U.S. public high school students in three geographic regions of the country. This quantitative study used data from the mental health section of the 2017-2018 School Survey on Crime and Safety. The majority of schools had mental health professionals on campus to assess and treat mental health disorders. Other schools contracted mental health professionals in the community. Rural schools reported significant differences in the provision of mental health services compared to the other schools. Securing professional mental health practitioners in high schools could address the growing number of students in need of mental health services. Adherence to student-mental health professional ratios in all school districts would also be beneficial.

Authors

• Andrea Shelton, Texas Southern University

• Emiel W. Owens, Texas Southern University