Schools and Mental Health

Mental health plays a key role in a child’s ability to learn.

That’s the way Lisa Warhuus sees it. In fact, it’s part of Warhuus’ job as manager of Integrated Resources for the Berkeley, Calif., Unified School District to make sure students have a good environment – and any support services they need – to take full advantage of the classroom learning.

School districts across the country have incorporated mental health in one way or another into their efforts. And screening for mental health issues is a major part of the recommendations from President’s Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.

Warhuus said it’s important for states and school districts considering incorporating mental health efforts into schools to remember that the mental health system and the education system are very different.

“But you can come together around a common purpose,” she said.

She said policymakers have to be on board with whatever plan is put in place. Mid-level workers can’t accomplish major change through policy without having the support of high-level officials.

The National Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA offers a quick-find clearinghouse on its Web site that includes legislation considered in various states with regard to school mental health issues. Linda Taylor, one of the co-directors of the center, said that legislation includes some that has been proposed, some passed, and some eventually vetoed.

It’s important for schools to be involved in mental health issues, said Cindy Erickson, a consultant for Safe and Drug Free Schools/Learning Supports in the Bureau of Student and Family Support Services for the Iowa Department of Education.

“There is only so far you can go with curriculum and instruction,” she said. “The best curriculum and instruction is not going to get by that barrier of a student who is distracted or not able to perform because of a mental health issue or something going on emotionally. There has got to be some support to help them get through that barrier in order for them to take advantage of that curriculum and instruction.”

She said it’s important that a broad-based group of stakeholders be involved, and parents must be a part of that group.
Jim Koller, a professor and director of the Department of Educational, Support and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said there seems to be more interest in mental health issues in relation to schools. He said there needs to be an active focus on prevention, on being proactive rather than reactive. And one way to address that, Koller said, is focusing on training of college students at the pre-service level.

“I think that should be focused on before they leave so they know what to look for, even in their own mental health,” Koller said.

To learn more about this topic, see the story in the May issue of State News.

—Mary Branham Dusenberry