Status of mental hygiene and child guidance facilities in public schools in the United States

Abstract

In general in may be stated that the ordinary teaching process in the classroom, which primarily strives for learning, conflicts with the purpose of adjusting child and teacher emotionally to their tasks. Thus, while we must have education in mental health, we also need mental health in education. Following these ideas to their logical conclusion, and based upon our present research study, we must state that there is in general a need to bring mental hygiene services into the school system in such a way that these services can be integrated into the functional structure of the total educational program. We may then be able to lay down basic principles which child guidance clinics in schools should follow in order to carry out the fundamental concepts of mental hygiene. Accordingly, child guidance clinics in schools should be concerned with: 1.Study and treatment of emotionally disturbed children. 2.Selecting teachers on the basis of recognized personality criteria. 3.In-service training of teachers, to afford teachers deeper insight into psychodynamic interchanges taking place in the classroom. 4.Orientation of curriculum in classroom and curriculum development. 5.Close liaison with special educational and service programs such as speech development, attendance bureau, CRMD classes, etc. 6.Educational and community work, one of the aims being to integrate a parent's interests in the school system. 7.Professional training by providing opportunities for qualified young persons to gain experience in child guidance—by creating psychiatric residences, psychological internships, and student social work placements. 8.Research by maintaining a continuing program of developing and improving technique for integrating mental health with educational processes in school. In general in may be stated that the ordinary teaching process in the classroom, which primarily strives for learning, conflicts with the purpose of adjusting child and teacher emotionally to their tasks. Thus, while we must have education in mental health, we also need mental health in education. Following these ideas to their logical conclusion, and based upon our present research study, we must state that there is in general a need to bring mental hygiene services into the school system in such a way that these services can be integrated into the functional structure of the total educational program. We may then be able to lay down basic principles which child guidance clinics in schools should follow in order to carry out the fundamental concepts of mental hygiene. Accordingly, child guidance clinics in schools should be concerned with: 1.Study and treatment of emotionally disturbed children. 2.Selecting teachers on the basis of recognized personality criteria. 3.In-service training of teachers, to afford teachers deeper insight into psychodynamic interchanges taking place in the classroom. 4.Orientation of curriculum in classroom and curriculum development. 5.Close liaison with special educational and service programs such as speech development, attendance bureau, CRMD classes, etc. 6.Educational and community work, one of the aims being to integrate a parent's interests in the school system. 7.Professional training by providing opportunities for qualified young persons to gain experience in child guidance—by creating psychiatric residences, psychological internships, and student social work placements. 8.Research by maintaining a continuing program of developing and improving technique for integrating mental health with educational processes in school.