Partnering with Families in Expanded School Mental Health Programs

Abstract

Systems of education and child and adolescent mental health recognize that close partnerships with families are essential for the success of almost any endeavor. Service providers in the emerging expanded school mental health (ESMH) field echo this realization. While working with families is a priority within the ESMH field and has been identified as a key best practice (Weist et al., 2001), little has been written about how to systematically incorporate families into the ESMH framework and involve them as full partners in their child's care. Drawing on experiences and research in the education field, expanded school mental health programs can expand their efforts to integrate effective strategies into daily practice by utilizing existing knowledge bases. This chapter seeks to characterize and define best practices of family involvement in expanded school mental health programs. Barriers to care and strategies for the development of a framework for integrating families into their children's care will be presented. The chapter addresses unique aspects of family involvement within a school-based mental health program, presents examples of family involvement, and describes training issues for clinicians and for successful partnerships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (chapter)