Transforming Mental Health Service Delivery in Schools: Recommendations for Implementation of a Cross-System...

Amid the alarming prevalence of youth mental health concerns and limited capacities of communities to provide adequate mental health services, there is an urgent need for increased collaboration between education and health sectors to effectively address the mental health needs of students in the U.S. This paper describes a cross-sector approach to integrating individually operating behavioral health service delivery systems across public health, education, and community mental health partners in Chicago, Illinois to establish a coordinated city-wide school mental health service system. A primary component of this work was a comprehensive landscape analysis comprised of literature reviews, service agreement reviews, survey data, structured interviews and listening sessions with strategically selected individuals from key departments and agencies across the city. Findings from the landscape analysis identified gaps and opportunities for increased efficiency between sectors. The foundation for a collaborative working relationship was also laid between the city school district and the department of public health to facilitate a pilot of implementation plans that emerged from the landscape analysis. In addition to elucidating our learnings from the landscape analysis procedures and findings, this paper summarizes generalizable recommendations to inform leaders in health and education who are committed to promoting integrated behavioral health service delivery systems in their own communities.