SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON THE LIVES OF ADULT GRADUATES

A Proposal

Submitted to the

Faculty of Argosy University/Sarasotain partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree ofDoctor of Education

by

Allen D. Marks

Argosy University/Sarasota

Sarasota, Florida

March 2009

Dissertation Committee Approval:

________________________________________

Samuel Sanabria, Ph.D., Co-ChairDate

________________________________________

Joffrey S. Suprina, Ph.D., Co-ChairDate

________________________________________

Beverly L. Mustaine, Ph.D., ReaderDate

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON THE LIVES OF ADULT GRADUATES

A Proposal

Submitted to the

Faculty of Argosy University/Sarasota

In partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Education

by

Allen D. Marks

March 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One : INTRODUCTION6

Problem Background8

Brief History8

Provider Expertise10

School Counselor Experience11

Literature Review18

Purpose of the study23

Research Questions23

Limitations/Delimitations24

Definitions25

Summary28

Chapter Two: Literature Review29

Introduction & Current Status29

Services offered in school-based mental health clinics or services39

Evidence-based service in mental health39

SBHCs and the scope of mental health problems40

Positive youth development42

Treating anxiety disorders42

Teaching skills for mental health44

Resilience and mental health44

Wraparound school-based mental health treatment46

Wraparound and research47

Personnel collaboration in school-based mental health services48

Antisocial behavior and mental health49

Collaboration with out-of-school professionals in school-based mental health services.52

Positive Attitudes for Learning in School53

Rural student mental health and school-based mental health service challenges58

Access problem in rural mental health services58

Schools as mental health centers in rural areas60

Mental health help-seeking in rural areas61

Mental health service utilization problems in rural areas62

Adolescents and mental health help-seeking in rural areas64

The effectiveness of school-based mental health services69

The effectiveness of various school-based mental health interventions71

The effectiveness of community-based versus school-based mental health services72

The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral school-based mental health services72

Conclusion74

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY77

Introduction77

Research Design77

Selection of participants77

Instrumentation78

Assumptions or Limitations80

Summary82

References84

Abstract of Dissertation Presented to

Argosy University, Sarasota

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Degree of Doctor of Education

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON THE LIVES OF ADULT GRADUATES

by

Allen D. Marks

2009

Co-Chair: Dr. Samuel Sanabria,

Co-Chair:Dr. Joffrey S. Suprina,

Reader:Dr. Beverly L. Mustaine

Department:Counseling Psychology

The long-term effectiveness of school-based mental health services on the lives of adult graduates

CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION

Recent studies have found that school-based mental health services are an effective method of improving not only the school attendance record but grade-point average of at-risk children (Copp, 2007; Massey 2005). At the same time, studies indicate that school-based mental health services are inconsistently provided in schools, and that there is a severe deficit of these and other mental health services in rural America. This shortage moreover is occurring when studies show that nearly 21% of children today are diagnosed with mental health problems and suffer from disorders in need of care (Copp, 2007). This means that during the average school year “a staggering 11 million students come to school with significant mental health issues” (Massey, 2005, p. 361). In spite of these growing numbers, “less than one third (of children) receive the support and care that they need” at school (Massey, p. 361). As a result, almost 9 million school children are not receiving the mental health help that they need (Masia, 2006). Schools have attempted to respond to this problem, but studies indicate that by and large schools provide a “one size fits all” approach to mental health which may mean that the service is subpar and ...