The prevalence of mental health and emotional well-being difficulties in children is increasing, and schools play a key role in addressing this. Whole-school approaches have been suggested as an effective way of supporting children's mental health and well-being; however, there appears to be no consistent approach to their evaluation, and…

This article outlines the outcomes of a specialized master's of social work (MSW) training program on students' (N=96) ability to work effectively in behavioral health care settings with adolescents and transitional age youth from diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. Program design, curriculum development, and associated activities…

Mental health challenges in schools are a growing concern for many students following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth. Students often face unique stressors related to their cultural identities, experiences of racism and discrimination, and social and economic disadvantages. Research has shown…

Background: Health coaching sessions that incorporate goal setting may help improve college students' health behaviors. Purpose: This study examined whether specific goal-setting practices moderated changes in health behaviors during an online wellness intervention in college students. Methods: Participants were 90 college students recruited from…

Objective: To examine short-term (i.e., post-intervention) outcomes from a randomized controlled trial comparing a school-based telehealth-delivered depression prevention program, Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), to services as usual (SAU). We expected IPT-AST would be acceptable and feasible and that IPT-AST…

Epidemiological research over the past two decades has highlighted substance use disparities that affect Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth, and the lack of effective approaches to address such disparities (Okamoto et al. in Asian American Journal of Psychology 10(3):239-248, 2019). The Ho'ouna Pono curriculum is a culturally grounded,…

This report presents results of a 50-state policy survey conducted by the National Center for Children in Poverty, Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy Center for Children and Families, and Johnson Policy Consulting. The survey asked state Medicaid agency leaders about Medicaid policies related to screenings and services designed…

Background: Weight stigma is prevalent among adolescents and can negatively impact physical and mental health. This study examined the effects of a combined physical activity and attitude education intervention on weight stigma and related outcomes among high school students. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 524 high…

Objective: This study aimed to better understand the mental health experiences of students as they prepared to transition out of university. Participants: Participants included 18 recently graduated students from a Canadian university. Methods: Virtual one-on-one semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed following the…

Background: The dissemination and implementation (D&I) of evidence-based initiative (EBIs) is critical to improved public health. The Asthma 411 EBI was piloted in Texas from 2013 to 2015. The pilot's evaluation assessed its effectiveness and identified approaches to support D&I of school-health EBIs. Methods: The pilot study was conducted…

This study presents findings from a feasibility trial, testing an 8-week psychosocial stigma protection intervention (SOLACE) designed to improve the mental health of parents of autistic children. Seventeen parents were stratified then randomly assigned to either SOLACE (n = 9) or control group (n = 8). Retention and adherence rates were excellent…

Emerging literature has highlighted the importance of discerning general and strategic organizational context (OC) factors (e.g., leadership and climate) and their interaction effect on individual implementation behaviors (e.g., attitudes toward evidence-based practices; EBPs) in youth mental healthcare. This study aimed to examine how leadership…

School nurses are instrumental in delivering health services to children in schools. This study addresses the gap in school nurse health services data, examining patterns in health services and programs provided by school nurses between 2006 and 2016 for students in North Carolina public schools. This study focused on services and programs related…

Objective: To examine what factors impact college students in the United States who are deciding to initiate or continue mental health services. Participants: Spring 2021 undergraduate students (N = 453) at a large urban university. Methods: Online, cross-sectional survey with mental health service experience as the independent variable and social…

Objective: We provide a step-by-step guide for developing, administering, evaluating, and acting on a survey-based study of graduate student mental health. Methods: Blueprint focuses on forging student-faculty collaboration and is based on Harvard University's Graduate Student Mental Health Initiative (GSMHI). The survey tool we use includes…