The Springer Series on Human Exceptionality Series Editors: Donald H. Saklofske and Moshe Zeidner Handbook for School-Based Mental Health Promotion An Evidence-Informed Framework for Implementation Alan W. Leschied, Donald H. Saklofske, and Gordon L. Flett, Editors This handbook provides a comprehensive overview to implementing effective evidence-based mental health promotion in schools. It addresses issues surrounding the increasing demands on school psychologists and educational and mental health professionals to support and provide improved student well-being, learning, and academic outcomes. The volume explores factors outside the traditional framework of learning that are important in maximizing educational outcomes as well as how students learn to cope with emotional challenges that confront them both during their school years and across the lifespan. Chapters offer robust examples of successful programs and interventions, addressing a range of student issues, including depression, self-harm, social anxiety, high-achiever anxiety, and hidden distress. In addition, chapters explore ways in which mental health and education professionals can implement evidence-informed programs, from the testing and experimental stages to actual use within schools and classrooms. Topics featured in this handbook include: · A Canadian perspective to mental health literacy and teacher preparation. · The relevance of emotional intelligence in the effectiveness of delivering school-based mental health programs. · Intervention programs for reducing self-stigma in children and adolescents. · School-based suicide prevention and intervention. · Mindfulness-based programs in school settings. · Implementing emotional intelligence programs in Australian schools. The Handbook for School-Based Mental Health Promotion is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and policymakers as well as graduate students across such interrelated disciplines as child and school psychology, social work, education policy and politics, special and general education, public health, school nursing, occupational therapy, psychiatry, school counseling, and family studies.

In today's educational landscape, promoting students' mental health and well-being is a pressing concern. Schools face the challenge of addressing diverse mental health needs while creating supportive environments that foster resilience and emotional well-being. Effective Practices for Mental Health Promotion in Education offers a comprehensive solution by providing educators, counselors, and mental health professionals with practical strategies and evidence-based approaches to promote positive mental health within educational settings. From innovative curriculum designs to effective interventions, the book equips readers with the tools to address mental health challenges and create a nurturing environment for students. Drawing on research and real-world examples, Effective Practices for Mental Health Promotion in Education bridges the gap between theory and practice, empowering readers to implement effective mental health promotion initiatives. The book guides educators in creating inclusive environments prioritizing mental well-being by offering insights into fostering a sense of belonging, reducing stigma, and supporting students with diverse needs. Its focus on practical solutions and evidence-based practices serves as a guide for educators and mental health professionals seeking to create supportive environments that nurture students' mental health and well-being. It also encourages collaboration between schools, families, and communities to enhance mental health support systems and promote a holistic approach to student well-being.

This document high ights some of the basic issues in the field of prevention and promotion in mental health with special reference to the evidence base. It is hoped that the information given here will assist in wider utilization of appropriate and effective interventions on prevention and promotion towards reducing the burden of mental disorders and in enhancing the mental health of populations.

With so few therapeutic outlets readily available to young people, schools have evolved into mental health centers for many students. Yet schools are hampered by limited access to resources needed to provide mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention services. Like its acclaimed predecessor, the Second Edition of the Handbook of School Mental Health offers ways for professionals to maximize resources, make and strengthen valuable connections, and attain more effective school-based services and programming. At the same time, the Handbook provides strategies and recommendations in critical areas, such as workforce development, interdisciplinary collaborations, youth/family engagement, consultation, funding, and policy concerns, summarizes the state of current research, and offers directions for further study. Chapters model best practices for promoting wellness and safety, early detection of emotional and behavioral problems, and school-based interventions for students with anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other common challenges. In spotlighting this range of issues, the contributors have created a comprehensive game plan for advancing the field. Among the Handbook's topics: Pre-service training for school mental health clinicians. Cognitive-behavioral interventions for trauma in schools. Increasing parental engagement in school-based interventions. Models of psychiatric consultation to schools. Culturally competent behavioral and emotional screening. Bullying from a school mental health perspective. Prevention and intervention strategies related to a variety of mental health problems in schools. The Second Edition of the Handbook of School Mental Health is an essential reference for researchers, graduate students, and other professionals in child and school psychology, special and general education, public health, school nursing, occupational therapy, psychiatry, social work and counseling, educational policy, and family advocacy.

The narratives of the children and young people, school teachers and school leaders, parents and carers, policy makers and service managers, and mental health workers and professionals, presented in this book, should provide an invaluable resource for all those involved in mental health promotion in school. The insights drawn from these direct field experiences may help to inform policy and good practice and serve as an inspiration to schools in their efforts to introduce and promote mental health for their communities. Most of the chapters present original research carried out in schools, services, universities and other contexts across different cultures. Through various qualitative studies carried out in different cultural contexts, Mental Health Promotion in Schools provides a platform for children, teachers, school leaders, parents, professionals, policy makers and teacher educators, to express their views on what works and does not work in mental health promotion in school. In our continued quest for evidence based research, we may tend to underestimate the value and significance of capturing the views and experiences of those most directly involved in mental health promotion, such as children and young people, school teachers and parents/carers, in seeking to enhance policy and practice in the area. This book should be of particular interest to those involved in mental health promotion in school at practice, training and research levels and we are sure that among these chapters, they will discover many new and stimulating insights into the promotion of mental health in such complex systems as schools. “This is a timely book since mental health difficulties among children and young people are on the increase across the world. The editors, Carmel Cefai and Paul Cooper, are passionate about the crucial role to be played by schools in creating safe spaces in which to learn, develop and socialise. They have spent many years in the development of creative initiatives for the promotion of emotional health and well-being amongst young people. The editors bring an international perspective to the issue of mental health and youth and show how important it is to collaborate and share expertise and knowledge. Cefai and Cooper have assembled an impressive range of authors to share their knowledge and to show how initiatives can be adapted to a range of cultural contexts.” – Helen Cowie, Professor, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK

A comprehensive overview to implementing mental health promotion programmes with different population groups across a range of settings. This work shows how information from research can be used to inform programme development and best practice. It provides examples of successful international programmes.

Mental health systems are in a crucial transition period, thanks to the increasing prominence of health promotion theory and a corresponding shift toward emphasizing wellness and empowerment, holistic and family-friendly design, and empirically supported treatment. Such changes demand adjustments to mental health education, and re-education, to maintain a common ground among students, specialists, and providers. The first book of its kind, Integrating Health Promotion and Mental Health presents a seamless framework for approaching contemporary mental health problems.In this informative and engaging text, healthcare expert Vikki L. Vandiver shows how mainstream mental health services can realistically begin to utilize health promotion principles. Vandiver begins by approaching the need for mental health reform based on stakeholder perspectives and providing an overview of the history and practice of health promotion, leading into a discussion of how health promotion practices can be incorporated into evidence-based mental health treatments, particularly those for women with co-morbid health and mental health conditions and children with mental health needs. Finally, Vandiver offers an articulate summary and critique that sheds light on how mental health administrators can incorporate health promotion concepts and practices in their organizations in a strategic, culturally competent manner.Driven by theory and the most recent data, Vandiver's writing is also eminently accessible; the pages are rich with conceptual diagrams, case examples, and testimonies from mental health consumers. Integrating Health Promotion and Mental Health will help specialists, researchers, and students alike in fields such as public health, nursing, social work, health psychology, psychiatric rehabilitation, and counseling to comprehend the basics of health promotion and how they can lead to new and more effective practice models.

Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is a critical foundation for a productive adulthood. Much is known about strategies to support families and communities in strengthening the MEB development of children and youth, by promoting healthy development and also by preventing and mitigating disorder, so that young people reach adulthood ready to thrive and contribute to society. Over the last decade, a growing body of research has significantly strengthened understanding of healthy MEB development and the factors that influence it, as well as how it can be fostered. Yet, the United States has not taken full advantage of this growing knowledge base. Ten years later, the nation still is not effectively mitigating risks for poor MEB health outcomes; these risks remain prevalent, and available data show no significant reductions in their prevalence. Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth: A National Agenda examines the gap between current research and achievable national goals for the next ten years. This report identifies the complexities of childhood influences and highlights the need for a tailored approach when implementing new policies and practices. This report provides a framework for a cohesive, multidisciplinary national approach to improving MEB health.

"This is a well-organised book. The layout is clear, with references at the end of each chapter, and there are activities and questions for reflection, as well as good use of tables. The editors’ foreword at the beginning of each chapter provides a useful link from the previous material, and gives a sense of continuity. "It will…be a useful addition to a reading list for public health students and anyone interested in promoting mental health in their clients. It will provide a useful platform for debate, and a summary of mental health needs at different points in the life span." Critical Public Health "This text provides an excellent overview for anyone new to mental health promotion or wanting to refresh their learning. ...the book provides a concise argument that mental health promotion has a strong theory base, evidence base and value base for anyone wishing to learn, advocate for or develop its practice." mentalhealth today “This book is a useful overview for mental health promotion and will stimulate practitioners and researchers to delve more into this important topic" The Internet Journal of Mental Health Mental Health Promotion is the first textbook to provide an accessible guide to applied mental health promotion across all age groups, and demonstrates how both principles and theory can be used to underpin mental health promotion. Cross cutting themes at each stage of the lifespan are addressed, including: reduction of inequalities; theory and evidence based practice and culturally sensitive approaches to practice. Key features of the book include: A recognition of the ‘uniqueness’ of different age groups in terms of specific mental health issues A lifespan approach; identifying different health promotion interventions for different age groups Illustrations of how to apply health promotion theory and principles to practice Inclusion of up to date evidence based examples of good practice for different age groups Use of international, national and local examples Mental Health Promotion is essential reading for those working in or studying public health, mental health promotion, social work, nursing, youth and community or community care.