7: School Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services

Between 12% and 22% of children suffer from mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, and only a few of these children receive mental health services. Many students are not fulfilling their mental and physical promise. For students to benefit from their schooling, society must address social, emotional, and physical health problems and other major barriers to learning. Counseling, psychological and social services are essential for students experiencing severe and pervasive problems. These services help the development of the students: responsibility and integrity, self-esteem, social and working relationships, self evaluation and self direction, temperament, personal safety and safe behavior, health maintenance, effective physical functioning, careers and life roles, and creativity. Schools find that counseling, psychological, and social services not only increase these behaviors, but also reduce drop outs, substance abuse, gang activity, teen pregnancy, and many other problems. The overall purpose of these programs is to minimize barriers to student learning and promote students psychosocial development. To do this, there are three broad categories: Direct services and instruction, developing systems, programs, services, and resources, and connecting school and community resources. Each of these requires direct breakdowns that help improve the environment of the school. Very few schools come close to addressing these needs. Addressing the psychosocial barriers to learning and enhancing healthy development for the majority of students is a major issue among schools. Due to the many different fields that can be covered, schools are not able to afford the full time efforts of many of these professionals. Nation wide there is one school psychologist or social worker for every 2500 students and one school counselor for every 1000 students. Since schools are only covering the bare minimal in terms of meeting student psychological needs, one solution is to provide collaborations between the school and community providers. National and state support helps provide schools opportunities to work with organizations throughout the community that can help the student’s psychological needs. In the end, to break down all barriers you must: create a mission statement; organize restructuring; map and analyze resources, help schools find most cost effective to use available resources; develop a staff.
I agree with everything the chapter has to say. Unfortunately, psychological issues are a major problem among youth. Many of these students with the problem do not have the access or resources to get the appropriate help, and neither do the schools. Some of the solutions the chapter gave I thought were good ideas for bigger schools that were located in an urban community. Rural communities do not possess the same services; therefore make it very difficult for small schools with minimal budgets to hire on someone to help with these issues. I believe that the role of the guidance counselor is often overlooked. Most students only refer to them when signing up for classes and applying for colleges. Guidance counselors can be a much more valuable resource, and can recognize what programs or situations students can be placed in to help them fulfill their psychological needs. I realize that this does not solve the problem of filling all the professions that a school health coordinator would like to see, but for schools that have not other option, I believe that a guidance counselor can point to and bring in a professional for certain students needs.