Integrating Schools With Mental Health Systems

Abstract

A focus group was conducted, in connection with the “Stakeholders to Partners” grant, with a sample (N=2) of caregivers of youths who had utilized mental health services in a school district in southwest Ohio. The participants were both Caucasian, males who were permanent or temporary guardians of at least one grandchild who was receiving mental health services in the school district. The purpose of the grant is to improve how staff and teachers in the school identify and make referrals of youth to the appropriate mental health system, within and outside of the schools. The focus group was recorded, with the permission of the participants, and transcribed. The transcription was then coded and categorized in order to find the main themes discussed throughout the focus group. The importance of this study is that the participant’s experiences are compared to intentions of the grant leaders and to other empirical research evaluating school service for youth with mental health concerns.