APD1297H
Recent research suggests that one out of every five school-aged children suffers from a mental health issue (e.g., anxiety, depression), and that children who experience mental health issues are at increased risk for poor academic outcomes in schools. Educators are uniquely positioned to assist in the early identification of students struggling with mental health problems in the classroom. By learning about the signs of mental health problems, and understanding how to refer students to appropriate services, educators can facilitate children and youth's timely access to effective assessment and intervention. This course will provide an overview of the conceptualization, prevalence, and course of commonly occurring mental health disorders among school-aged children and youth, and explore risk and protective factors for mental health problems. Moreover, this course will examine the signs and symptoms of these disorders (to facilitate early detection by educators), as well as provide educators with information about empirically supported recommendations for preventing and responding to mental health issues in the classroom. Additionally, broader evidenced-based strategies and programming for preventing mental health concerns, and promoting mental health and well-being in the classroom will be discussed.