Mental Health

Subtopics

At-Risk Children

Conduct Issues

School-Based Mental Health Services

Substance Use

Suicide Management

Training, Partnership, and Capacity Building

Make schools safer by improving access to mental health services.

Students often come to school with complex physical and mental health concerns or social service needs. Access to mental health services helps to create a positive school climate, prevents worsening of mental health conditions, and leads to better outcomes for students.

Mental health challenges are common among students. According to the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, up to 1 in 5 children living in the United States experience a mental disorder every year. Symptoms often start in early childhood, although some may develop during the teenage years.

By supporting students who are experiencing mental health challenges, schools can help foster a sense of safety and promote better academic and behavioral outcomes. Providing access to mental health services can reduce mental, emotional, and behavioral difficulties with students at risk.

Use the filter below to sort resources available based upon stages of preparedness and subtopic.

Featured Resources

These resources are a starting point for learning about mental health. Use these resources to support the mental health needs of students, educators, and staff. Members of the school community can also download this SchoolSafety.gov infographic to learn more about mental health and access a sampling of resources.

Report

Advancing Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems: Guidance from the Field

Third Party, 2019

This resource synthesizes the knowledge and guidance of over 75 experts and is a foundational document in the field to help guide local, state, and national efforts to strengthen school mental health efforts and to start to understand and bring consensus to the quality domains of school mental health.

Program

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Department of Health and Human Services

This program offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. The corresponding webpage provides additional resources and information for strengthening suicide prevention and mental health crisis services.

Report

Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs

Department of Education, 2021

This guide provides focused information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and social and emotional well-being among students. It highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K–12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents seven corresponding recommendations.

Guidance

Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

Department of Health and Human Services, 2024

This toolkit, designed to augment overdose prevention and reversal training, provides guidance on the role of opioid overdose reversal medications, including naloxone and nalmefene, and how to respond to an overdose. It also contains appendices for specific audiences, including people who use drugs (PWUD), people who take prescription opioids, first responders, healthcare practitioners, and others. It is intended to provide guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose and emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.

Filter Resources

All Mental Health Resources

The federal government identified additional resources that highlight strategies for school safety. Use these resources to learn more about mental health.

Webpage

Homelessness Resources: Trauma

Department of Health and Human Services

This webpage provides information to help understand the linkages between trauma and homelessness, and the impact on ensuring quality care.

Guidance

Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) Field Operations Guide

Department of Health and Human Services, 2017

This resource provides guidance on responding to disaster, violence, or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. It gives school administrators, educators, and staff practical assistance to meet immediate needs and concerns, reduce distress, and foster adaptive coping in the wake of a disaster.

Webpage

MHTTC School Mental Health Initiative

Department of Health and Human Services

This webpage outlines the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network's school mental health activities that aim to accelerate the implementation of effective mental health services in schools.