School-Based Behavioral Health Programming for Newcomer Youth: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Newcomer youth face significant disparities in accessing behavioral health services.
• School-based mental health programming is a potential strategy to mitigate these disparities.
• Evidence on the effectiveness of these programs for newcomer youth requires synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of the evidence base for school-based mental health programming for newcomer youth.
• To examine the current state of research and identify gaps in programming.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed.
• Multiple databases and existing systematic reviews were examined.
• Studies were categorized using the National Center for School Mental Health's tiered framework.

Main Results:

• 37 studies were analyzed, with over half published in the last decade.
• Most studies originated from the United States and Europe, focusing on Tier 1 (promotion/wellness) or multi-tiered programs.
• Programming for early childhood and younger newcomer children was underrepresented.

Conclusions:

• The literature suggests promising trends in school-based mental health programming for newcomer youth, including multi-tiered approaches.
• Gaps exist in program adaptation for diverse cultural needs and theoretical foundations for Tier 1 programs.
• Further research is crucial, particularly for early and middle childhood programming for this growing population.