Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health: Addressing DSM-5 Disorders in Schools

Though schools have become the default mental health providers for children and adolescents, they are poorly equipped to meet the mental health needs of their students. Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health differs from other books that address child and adolescent psychopathology by focusing on how to help students with mental disorders in pre-K-12th-grade schools. Chapters address the prevalence of a disorder in school-age populations, appropriate diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, comorbid disorders, available rapid assessment instruments, school-based interventions using multi-tiered systems of support, and easy-to-follow suggestions for progress monitoring. Additionally, the text shares detailed suggestions for how school-based clinicians can collaborate with teachers, parents, and community providers to address the needs of youth with mental health problems. Each chapter finishes with extensive web resources and real-life case examples drawn from the author's clinical practice. This book serves as a helpful resource for school-based mental health providers (e.g., school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors), communities-in-schools coordinators, and MSW students focusing on child and adolescent mental health.