Research indicates that the provision of quality health services in a school setting increases the use of primary care for adolescents. With an ever-changing array of physical and mental health needs for students and staff, state policymakers are adapting comprehensive health supports. This captures a spectrum of student health support elements,…

Amid growing mental health concerns among college students, higher education institutions are increasingly called to lead systemic, collaborative, and forward-thinking responses to meet students' evolving needs, especially across the SACSA region. Grounded in Ecological Systems Theory, Crisis Theory, and public health models, the article…

Research shows children with poor oral health are nearly three times more likely to miss school than their healthier peers which can lead to lower academic performance and ability to succeed in school. Furthermore, poor oral health remains one of the top reasons why California students miss school, resulting in a loss of $28 million per year to…

Community-engaged patient navigation safety net programs are established as an evidence-based approach to address cancer prevention and early detection efforts, but barriers to expand and sustain such programs persist. In addition, few studies describe how these programs impact buy-in among communities and policy change within health care systems…

From June 2023 to April 2024, CLASP and the National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy provided technical assistance to community advocates in three localities: Charleston, SC, Gulfport, MS, and Tulsa, OK. Our goal was to increase access to equitable school-based mental health services. We used Community-Based System Dynamics to…

The recent spate of anti-transgender bills in the USA has created challenges for transgender and gender-diverse students' health. While actions to promote conservatism over research-based guidance and ethical commitments to students are not new, the pace and vitriol of recent political changes is concerning. Even in states with strong civil rights…

The 2022 American College Health Assessment (ACHA) reported over 75 percent of college students surveyed indicating moderate to serious psychological distress, along with over 53 percent of students feeling lonely. Additionally, the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State 2022 Annual Report identified a significant increase over a…

The California Department of Education's Project Cal-Well aims to promote awareness of student mental health and improve access to mental health services for youth, families, and school communities. This brief introduces a series of Project Cal-Well Legacy Briefs that highlight successes achieved by Project Cal-Well partners. WestEd developed the…

This article discusses the ways college health supports its communities' needs. The article's Bottom Line is that the positive reach of campus health stretches across student populations and sometimes beyond to impact learning, wellness, and thriving. The authors hope to spotlight how college health is embedded in the higher education world in…

Student mental health is a huge issue in the education sector, and due to overwhelmed mental health systems, greater pressures are placed on teachers to offer pastoral support to students. This book is packed with practical strategies to help teachers with supporting their students. The Little Guide for Teachers series is little in size but BIG on…

In response to urgent student mental health needs across Virginia's college campuses, the 2022 Virginia General Assembly appropriated funds (2022 Appropriation Act, Item 144#3c) to support a two-year mental health workforce pilot program at public institutions of higher education. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), in…

Youth mental health needs are rising, yet support systems in schools and mentoring programs often operate separately, limiting their impact. Integrating mentoring into school-based support frameworks can break down silos and create a more coordinated, effective network for students. By aligning efforts, integrated school mentoring expands access…

Children in the United States are facing unprecedented mental health challenges. In October 2021, First Focus on Children joined other leading children's health organizations to declare a national state of emergency regarding child mental health in the Sound the Alarm campaign, and in December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory…

Building a strong and vibrant school community is a vital component of fostering an environment where students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. The APPLE Schools (appleschools.ca) health promotion project identifies eight essential elements that provide a steady formula for cultivating this environment. Backed by world-class…

School districts determine the types of health services and health professionals needed in schools, as well as how to deliver and pay for these services. This policy brief outlines four models for delivering school-based health services and explains who is responsible for billing Medicaid under each one. Understanding the different Medicaid…