Background: This article reviews challenges to collaboration in school mental health (SMH) and presents practical strategies for overcoming them. Methods: The importance of collaboration to the success of SMH programs is reviewed, with a particular focus on collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Challenges to effective…

Students learn best when their physical, mental, emotional, and other needs are met, but schools rarely have the time and resources available to meet those needs. If schools can find a way to engage families and communities, students are more likely to succeed. But how? One answer is the community schools strategy. A community school has a set of…

The purpose of this article is to share results of an exploratory qualitative research study designed to shed light on experiences of an interdisciplinary group of elementary school staff and graduate students in a school-based services project. A researcher conducted 20 interviews with staff and graduate students who represented the fields of…

This article is intended to provide early childhood providers with a concise overview of emerging emotional development in young children (birth-5), the important role of primary caregivers, and the link between parenting, emotional development, and behavior. Specific suggestions that have been shared with urban Head Start mothers are offered,…

Chilean educator and poet Gabriela Mistral warned that children's needs are immediate and comprise more than just academic concerns. Implementing comprehensive community schools is an increasingly successful approach to taking her warning to heart, particularly in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations. The reason is simple: education does…

The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) is a special entity within the National League of Cities (NLC). The YEF Institute helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities. NLC launched the YEF Institute in January 2000 in recognition of the unique and influential…

The collaborative efforts between a school and its community can profoundly influence educational effectiveness. An examination of the relationship between schools and their communities, with an emphasis on exploring how some schools work effectively with parents, agencies, and businesses to form sustainable partnerships, is offered in this…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the relationship between schools and communities. Each of the 10 schools under study served predominantly low-socioeconomic Mexican-American students. Data were derived from interviews and observations conducted at 8 of the 10 schools. Findings show that the schools' relationships with…

Discusses the rationale behind the movement to link services to schools through school-linked, family resource centers. Describes several exemplary program, already developed, and outlines the promise this movement holds as a major social work strategy for revitalizing communities. Focuses on parental involvement, skill development, and how to…

Community-based interagency collaboration among schools and other public service agencies is one reform idea for addressing the complex conditions of children with a high level of needs. This paper presents findings of a study that explored the workings of one community-based collaboration, referred to as the Community-Based Collaboration for…

Rural schools traditionally have played a central role in their communities. Now, as rural communities face declining quality of life and threats to their viability, collaborative partnerships between communities and schools offer a promising approach to community revitalization and survival. Researchers have identified three distinct, yet related…

The state of Washington implemented the Readiness to Learn program as part of the state's Family Policy Initiative. The primary goal of the program is to serve as a formal link between education and human services by authorizing grants to local school-linked, community-based consortia to develop and implement strategies that ensure children arrive…

A model for providing a continuum of comprehensive school-community services incorporates systems of prevention, early intervention, and care. Key components for addressing barriers to learning include classroom-focused enabling, student and family assistance, community outreach, home involvement, support for transitions, and crisis/emergency…

This research summary reviews six publications that explore the need for integrated school-based community services and describe ways in which challenges can be overcome to create effective full-time schools. The publications include the following: (1) "Full-Service Schools: A Revolution in Health and Social Services for Children, Youth, and…

The state of Washington implemented the Readiness to Learn program as part of the state's Family Policy Initiative. The primary goal of the program is to serve as a formal link between education and human services by authorizing grants to local school-linked, community-based consortia to develop and implement strategies that ensure children arrive…