COMMUNITY MENTAL-HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES IN A SPECIAL-EDUCATION SETTING

This paper describes a state- and county-sponsored program that provid es preventive and crisis-intervention services in three schools servin g severely emotionally disturbed students. Students in these schools t ypically have histories of previous mental health diagnoses and treatm ent, often including hospitalization and/or residential or correctiona l placements, with little or no follow-up mental health services in th e community. These students tend to have untreated disorders such as A ttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, mood disorders, and chemical dependency but have ''fallen through the cracks'' of the mental health system and remain at high risk for deterioration and out-of-home plac ements. This project utilizes a county social worker in the schools to coordinate services, intervene in crisis situations, and facilitate a ppropriate treatment for the students by acting as a liaison with stud ents, special educators, school social workers, parents, child protect ion and child welfare services, the correctional system, and mental he alth providers. The program is described in detail, with examples of t ypes of interventions and recommendations for future programs.