UTSA researchers identify key to better mental health treatment for children
(Aug. 17, 2016) -- School-community collaboration is a critical key to helping youth receive proper mental health treatment, according to Victor Villarreal and Felicia Castro-Villarreal, UTSA educational psychology faculty.
In a recent paper published in “Intervention in School and Clinic,” the UTSA researchers described ways that schools and community mental health providers can work together to provide effective and comprehensive mental health services to K-12 students.
“Schools serve as the main point of contact for services for so many kids,” said Castro-Villarreal, an associate professor in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development (COEHD). “In San Antonio alone, one in five students face mood disorders or other mental health problems. But their needs aren’t being properly met. In order to meet these needs, we have to move outside the schools to local organizations.”
In 2013, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a report stating that few of the 20 percent of children with mental health challenges actually receive treatment services. In fact, less than half do. Of the students who do receive services, a majority receive them at schools.
However, Villarreal and Castro-Villarreal found that many schools are ill equipped to properly treat mental health issues, such as mood disorders, which require specialized services. In addition, school-based mental health professionals, such as school psychologists or counselors, are often stretched thin and assigned more cases industry standards suggest are manageable.
At the same time, the researchers found that looking outside schools for care also presented challenges for families. Limited access to affordable resources and the perception of mental health treatment often prevented families from pursuing the services their children needed.
To mitigate these challenges, Villarreal and Castro-Villarreal recommend that school professionals serve as a critical bridge between families and community mental health providers. They say that schools can also share educational resources regarding the benefits of mental health treatment and available community services.
“Schools are in a prime position to serve as a middleman between families and the services their children may need, eliminating barriers to access,” said Villarreal, an assistant professor in COEHD. “Through collaboration, we can change the perception of mental health treatment, and the children who need treatment can be helped. In our eyes, it’s a win-win."
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