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…

Objective: School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a national surveillance system operated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A school-based system of surveys, Profiles monitors school health policies and practices in US states and other jurisdictions through questionnaires completed by school principals and lead health education…

Objectives: This article provides an introduction to the October 2011 special issue of the "Journal of School Health" on "Healthier Students Are Better Learners." Methods: Literature was reviewed and synthesized to identify health problems affecting school-aged youth that are highly prevalent, disproportionately affect urban minority youth,…

This review focuses on ways in which epidemiological research can inform mental health service development and clinical practice. Data from epidemiological studies can provide cross-sectional and secular estimates of the prevalence of psychopathology to support rational service development. Epidemiological surveys have difficulties in finding…

Provides background on national movements toward expanded school mental health programs and school-based health centers, and presents advantages and challenges of joining these two systems of child and adolescent health care. These challenges, ideas for overcoming them, and future directions for promising service delivery are discussed. (Contains…

This brief discusses the intersection of health services and education. After introducing the topic of health services within the educational context, the brief discusses coordinated school health programs, defining such programs and offering examples of the programs in practice. The brief then discusses health education and risk behaviors,…

The articles in this journal issue provide an overview of ways in which health services are presently delivered to children, youth, and pregnant women; the means by which these services are financed; and some of the major deficiencies in meeting the health needs of these groups. In the first article, the Center for the Future of Children presents…

Less than 2 years after the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981 mandated the reorganization of long-established maternal and child health services and substantially reduced funding of programs, a rise in the incidence of unfavorable maternal and child outcomes was detected in national health data. Data suggest at least an inferential…

Background: Schools are in a unique position not only to identify mental health problems among children and adolescents but also to provide links to appropriate services. This article describes the characteristics of school mental health and social services in the United States, including state- and district-level policies and school practices.…

This report examines how communities and groups can shape the content of health services to bring more comprehensive health services to poor children and families. The report is based on a study of 11 comprehensive primary care programs and systems some of which offer school-based services: 4 freestanding community-based programs, 4 local systems…

By acquiring health-related knowledge, values, skills, and practices, children can be empowered to pursue a healthy life and to work as change agents for community health. This report of the WHO Expert Committee on Comprehensive School Health Education and Promotion reviews the global state of school health; identifies opportunities for and…

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" discusses research on mental health care utilization among young children, up to age seven, in a low-income urban setting. Overall, the study indicates that…

The unique focus of infant mental health interventions is most often the caregiver-infant relationship, rather than the traditional approach of focusing specifically on the child or caregiver. Because a relationship approach to assessment and treatment is new, the development of evidence-based approaches is still in its own infancy. Furthermore,…

Focusing on families with children under the age of 6 years whose incomes fall below the federal poverty level, this monograph provides the first comprehensive overview and assessment of the literature of the past decade concerning policies and programs addressing the health needs of children in poverty. Chapter One introduces themes in the…

This book examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on education in sub-Saharan African countries. It looks at the situation at both macro and micro levels and emphasizes the need to react quickly and to institutionalize the response of education systems to the negative consequences of the pandemic. Drawing on studies of a few countries in sub-Saharan…