Find Mental Health Resources for Schools
Access mental health resources and guidance on SchoolSafety.gov to provide support for students at risk and strengthen your school community
Mental Health Awareness Month, recognized each May, is a time to reflect on the importance of school-based mental health awareness and support. According to the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, up to 1 in 5 children living in the United States experience a mental disorder every year. By supporting students experiencing mental health challenges, schools can help foster a sense of safety and promote better academic and behavioral outcomes.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent move to virtual learning environments has led to unprecedented challenges in areas such as social isolation and stress, which present additional risks to the behavioral and mental health of students. Access to mental health services helps reduce mental, emotional, and behavioral difficulties with those at risk.
SchoolSafety.gov is home to mental health resources and strategies schools, educators, and parents can use to help implement mental health support in their communities. Featured resources and tools include:
- School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE) (National Center for School Mental Health) – Use SHAPE – a free, web-based tool – to help you assess the quality of your school’s mental health system.
- National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network and National Center for School Mental Health) – Access guidance and modules to help your district advance comprehensive school mental health, as well as engage in a planning process around the implementation of services.
- Responding to COVID-19 School Mental Health (MHTTC Network) – Find resources, events, and toolkits to help address the impact COVID-19 has had on the mental health of students, parents, teachers, and school personnel.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Explore tools and materials to help educators, school staff, and administrators understand and respond to the specific needs of traumatized children.
- Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) – Download this toolkit, developed for high schools and school districts, to design and implement strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health.