Managing and Preventing Chronic Health Problems in Children and Youth: School Psychology's Expanded Mission

Abstract

Central to the mission of school psychology is improving the instructional outcomes of students by removing barriers to education, which may include children's health and mental health problems. Recent reforms in education and health care are expanding the mission of schools and creating the need for community schools that address the needs of the whole child including academic, social, emotional, and health issues. Within community schools, exciting new roles are emerging for school psychologists to address the needs of children and youth with or at risk for health problems. These roles encompass the domains of intervention, program development, training, and applied research. This article describes potential roles for school psychologists for managing and preventing chronic health problems. To take advantage of these opportunities, school psychologists are challenged to shift their unit of analysis from a focus upon the individual child to an examination of school and community systems that promote or impede the expression of healthy behavior.