It’s Mental Health Month. Check Out These Schools That Are Making Mental Health Services a Priority [EducationWorld.com]

It’s Mental Health Month. Check Out These Schools That Are Making Mental Health Services a Priority
It’s Mental Health Month. Check Out These Schools That Are Making Mental Health Services a Priority
Statistics say that 50 percent of students battling mental health issues drop out of school. That’s why more and more schools and districts are recognizing the very real need to improve the kinds of mental health services offered to students in need.

Massachusetts District Embarks on Journey to Develop Comprehensive Mental Health Services

John Crocker, guidance director for Methuen Public Schools, recently spoke to the Eagle-Tribune about the school district’s journey to establishing model mental health services.

Aware of the district’s previous missed opportunities in helping all students receive timely and effective mental health care, the district is one of several to team up with the University of Maryland’s Center for School Mental Health National Quality Initiative program to create comprehensive mental health system in schools.

Even though Massachusetts is typically considered one of the more innovative states when it comes to education, Methuen is the only district in the state participating in the initiative.

So far, the district has begun doing mental health screenings for students with parental consent "and coordinating follow up services for at-risk students who show symptoms of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, trauma, and disruptive behavior.”

[For more of this story go to http://www.educationworld.com/...th-services-priority]