Community Mental Health Support Services in a Special Education Setting

Abstract

This paper describes a state- and county-sponsored program that provides preventive and crisis-intervention services in three schools serving severely emotionally disturbed students. Students in these schools typically have histories of previous mental health diagnoses and treatment, often including hospitalization and/or residential or correctional placements, with little or no follow-up mental health services in the community. These students tend to have untreated disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, mood disorders, and chemical dependency but have “fallen through the cracks” of the mental health system and remain at high risk for deterioration and out-of-home placements. This project utilizes a county social worker in the schools to coordinate services, intervene in crisis situations, and facilitate appropriate treatment for the students by acting as a liaison with students, special educators, school social workers, parents, child protection and child welfare services, the correctional system, and mental health providers. The program is described in detail, with examples of types of interventions and recommendations for future programs.