Overcoming the Challenges of Funding School Mental Health Programs

Abstract

One of the largest obstacles to the delivery of expanded school mental health (ESMH) services is developing and sustaining funding sources. The school mental health approach to care integrates mental health, education, and in some cases other systems such as health, social services, and juvenile justice. With the involvement of multiple systems and disciplines, the problematic question becomes which agency or organization is responsible for payment. The fiscal solutions that have been developed to support ESMH programs are extremely diverse and constantly evolving. Knowing that funding opportunities change quickly over time, it is a challenge to provide useful and current information. Furthermore, fiscal opportunities vary greatly between communities and states, complicating an attempt to provide a useful snapshot of the financial issues that impact expanded school mental health. This chapter consolidates some of the financial aspects behind school mental health programs and provides an overview of the complexity of the issue. The chapter concludes with the stories of three US ESMH programs that have successfully maintained funding over the years and describes their funding successes and failures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)