Ensuring Quality in High School Mental Health Services

Abstract

As a particularly venerable group to undiagnosed and untreated mental disorders, high school students require special attention. Ensuring adequate mental health resources are made available to students requires full participation of school faculty, parents, and peers. Feedback from all of these parties is necessary to address and properly refer students that may be displaying signs of impairment due to unaddressed mental health issues. Detecting early signs of mental health disorders and subsequently referring a student to receive professional help can offset the danger of worsening mental and physical health in the student. High School programs are often a student’s first encounter with any form of a mental health service and it is important that schools ensure quality and proper regulation of their programs. High school services that implement community services and develop a trusted network of adults and peers inside of the school have shown to be the most successful. It is crucial that teachers and parents implement and actively participate in bettering a students’ mental health by working with them according to the direction given by the provided mental health professional. Improperly regulated or unsupported mental health service providers in the high school can also lead to a poor treatment for students. To ensure the academic success and overall well-being of its students, it is vital that high schools implement and properly maintain a well-supported mental health service program within itself.