Mental & Behavioral Health
Good mental health is important for everyone. Mental health is as important as physical health to our quality of life. Mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness but also means having the skills necessary to cope with life's challenges. If ignored, mental health problems can interfere with children's learning, development, relationships, and physical health.
School psychologists are uniquely trained to deliver high-quality mental and behavioral health services in the school setting to ensure all students have the support they need to be successful in school, at home, and throughout life.
School Psychologists and Mental Health Services
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Comprehensive School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Services and School Psychologists
Share this resource with key stakeholders to convey the breadth of your skills at all tiers and the importance of improving staffing ratios.
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School Psychologists: Qualified Health Professionals Providing Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health Services (PDF)
This White Paper addresses the issues involved and the competencies of school psychologists consistent with NASP standards to address the needs of children and adolescents in this area.
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Mental and Behavioral Health Services for Children and Adolescents (PDF)
NASP advocates for the provision of coordinated, comprehensive, culturally competent, and effective mental health services in the school setting...
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Prevention and Wellness Promotion
NASP is committed to school-based behavioral and mental health prevention and early intervention services that promote psychological wellness for children...
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The Relationship Between Mental Health and Academic Achievement
Understanding the association between students’ mental health and academic achievement is a central priority for educators, policy makers, and community members...
Resilience and Wellness Promotion
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How Caregivers Can Foster Resiliency (PDF)
Adversity is a natural part of life. At some point, we all face difficulties, such as family problems, serious illness, widespread disease, a personal crisis, or a painful loss. Being resilient is important to dealing successfully with life's challenges.
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How Schools Can Foster Resiliency
Adversity is a natural part of life. At some point, we all face difficulties, such as family problems, serious illness, widespread disease, a personal crisis, or a painful loss. Being resilient is important to dealing successfully with life’s challenges...
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Supporting Children's Mental Wellness: Tips for Educators (PDF)
Educators can encourage mental wellness and promote social, emotional, and academic success. Good mental health is not simply the absence of illness, but also includes skills necessary to cope with life’s challenges...
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Building Resiliency: Helping Children Learn to Weather Tough Times
Adversity is a natural part of life. At some point, we all face difficulties, such as family problems, serious illness, a personal crisis, or a painful loss. Being resilient is important to dealing with adversities like these. While most parents hope that their children never face extreme adversity, successfully facing tough situations can actually foster growth and give children the skills to be more resilient in the future.
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Promoting Student Mental Health at School
A summary of the research on improving comprehensive school mental health services featured in School Psychology Review Volume 50.
Depression Resources
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A Brief Overview of Depression
One of the more common diagnoses for youth is despression. This diagnosis requires specific symptoms or features that exist over a period of time and cause major challenges. These experiences result in considerable struggles in important life areas, like work, school, or with family and friends.
Additional Resources
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Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: A Brief Overview
Nonsuicidal self-injury can be a difficult behavior to identify, and supporting students who employ NSSI requires work from various adults in their lives. School psychologists, parents and caregivers, and educators all have important roles and responsibilities in supporting the well-being and recovery of students who engage in NSSI.
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School Attendance Problems
Approximately 16% of all students are chronically absent from school. This handout addresses factors that impact school attendence problems and the roles mental health professionals, school personell, and caregivers play in addressing the problem as a team.
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Selective Mutism: An Overview for Families
This handout was created as a resource to help families and caregivers support children with selective mutism.
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Addressing Selective Mutism in School: A Guide for Educators
This handout was created as a resource to help educators support children with selective mutism.
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Comprehensive School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Services and School Psychologists
Share this resource with key stakeholders to convey the breadth of your skills at all tiers and the importance of improving staffing ratios.
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Health Crisis Resources
These resources were developed to help schools and districts provide supports for their students and community in the event of a health crisis.
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Self-Care for School Psychologists
Self-care is an important part of our personal professional practice, a key component of prevention for ourselves and the children we serve, and critical to our ability to help others.
Policy Priority
The most positive outcomes occur when mental and behavioral health services are provided by high quality professionals, such as school psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors. NASP is committed to improving the capacity of individual school psychologists to provide school mental and behavioral health services.
Related Resource
Download a PDF version of this handout to print and share it with stakeholders and members of your school community.