Mental health in schools: expanded opportunities for school nurses

Emerging trends are reshaping the work of school nurses and other school service personnel. With respect to direct service and consultation, school nurses increasingly are called upon to deal with psychosocial and mental health problems. Beyond that, school nurses must continue to actuate their roles as advocates, catalysts, brokers, and facilitators of the type of reforms that can effectively address barriers to student learning and promote healthy development. Continuing education is seen as key to enabling school nurses to build capacity for such roles and functions. The newly formed Center for Mental Health in Schools at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) hopes to be of assistance in this respect. This presentation highlights the Center's orientation to mental health in schools and offers a draft outline for related continuing education.