Clinical mental health training within a multidisciplinary school-based health clinic.

Abstract

A model is presented to illustrate a clinical mental health training program within a multidisciplinary School-Based Health Clinic (SBHC). In collaboration with schools of education, medicine, nursing, and social work, a multidisciplinary training and treatment program was established that provided unique opportunities for clinical training. An ecological/public health model was utilized as the conceptual framework for clinical mental health training, treatment, and research. Preliminary clinical outcome data suggest that out of a sample of 381 patients, 15% of those utilizing the SBHC's mental health services were being treated for substance abuse disorders. This finding supports current research that has demonstrated that the SBHCs are providing access to students who are in the most serious need to mental health services. Process data suggest that the SBHC is an effective site for multidisciplinary clinical mental health training.