Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health : Addressing DSM-5 Disorders in Schools

Using the new DSM-5 as an organizing principle, this book addresses the 12 most common mental disorders of childhood and adolescence. Each chapter addresses the prevalence of a disorder in school-age populations, appropriate diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, comorbid disorders, available rapid assessment instruments, school-based interventions using multi-tiered systems of support, and easy-to-follow suggestions for progress monitoring.

Though schools have become the default mental health providers for children and adolescents, they are poorly equipped to meet the mental health needs of their students. Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health differs from other books that address child and adolescent psychopathology by focusing on how to help students with mental disorders in pre-K-12th-grade schools. Chapters address the prevalence of a disorder in school-age populations, appropriate diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, comorbid disorders, available rapid assessment instruments, school-based interventions using multi-tiered systems of support, and easy-to-follow suggestions for progress monitoring. Additionally, the text shares detailed suggestions for how school-based clinicians can collaborate with teachers, parents, and community providers to address the needs of youth with mental health problems. Each chapter finishes with extensive web resources and real-life case examples drawn from the author''s clinical practice. This book serves as a helpful resource for school-based mental health providers (e.g., school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors), communities-in-schools coordinators, and MSW students focusing on child and adolescent mental health.