School-Based Dental Health

Background information
Papers address unmet need for dental care, dental health promotion, program development issues, descriptions of model programs, state initiatives in prevention and service delivery.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities (2016)

Strengthening Children’s Oral Health: Views From the Field
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CHHCS conducted key informant interviews with 25 experts involved in the past decade’s efforts to improve the oral health of low-income and minority children. Key informants believe that success requires addressing both consumer demand and provider supply factors. They cite the lack of public outcry for more accessible oral health care and the undervaluing of oral health, relative to medical care. Informants were cautiously optimistic that strategies such as health literacy or outreach campaigns, which have helped increase children’s physical activity and improve their diets, offer unexplored opportunities for progress.

Comprehensive Oral Health Services Through School Based Health Centers: Expert Workgroup Meeting Summary – November 2-3, 2011
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) convened a meeting of children’s oral health experts on November 2-3, 2011. The purpose of the meeting was for those in attendance to provide guidance to MCHB for a new HRSA grant program that will support comprehensive oral health programs in school-based health centers (SBHCs). This document was prepared by Julia Lear, PhD and Donna Behrens, RN, MPH, Center for Health & Health Care in Schools, GW School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington DC.dental-health-for-kids

Clinical operations and management
From appointment procedures to dental quality to management information systems, Dr. Rosenthal’s Toolkit walks you through the essentials of establishing and maintaining a high quality productive dental program.

Financing issues
Four excellent papers focus on various aspects of Medicaid and its support of children’s dental services

State and local dental health policies and programs
Fourteen states describe model programs and funding initiatives to expand dental programs for low-income children.

Caring for Kids Grant Initiative
Information from a multi-site RWJF grant program to expand dental health care through school-based health centers. Individual site descriptions as well as program-wide data are presented.

Resources and links
A handful of excellent resources addressing clinical, program and policy issues.

Bibliography
A brief bibliography focused on school-based oral health services.
Links to a diverse collection of papers and fact sheets that address children’s mental health issues and children’s access to care.

A Guide to Federal Education Programs That Can Fund K-12 Universal Prevention and Social and Emotional Learning Activities
This guide is intended to help districts take advantage of federal education funding by identifying K-12 grant programs in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that could be used to implement prevention efforts in elementary and secondary schools. CHHCS and the Center on Education Policy analyzed dozens of federally funded programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. This research found 15 specific funded programs that contain either explicit or implicit authority for prevention-related activities. The main sections of this guide describe each of these programs, including their purpose, recent funding levels, entities eligible for funding, and specific provisions in the authorizing legislation, regulations, or program guidance that explicitly or implicitly permit funds to be used for prevention.

Handsome mixed-race student in class, ready to learn.

NPR: A Silent Epidemic: The Mental Health Crisis In Our Schools (September 7, 2016)

WAMU: Feeling ‘Invisible’ — How Mental Illness Often Goes Unnoticed In The Classroom (May 23, 2016)

The Impact of School-Connected Behavioral and Emotional Health Interventions on Student Academic Performance: An Annotated Bibliography of Research Literature
This annotated bibliography provides a systematic review of current literature published between 2001 and 2013 and summarizes findings on the relationship between prevention-focused behavioral health interventions, such as social and emotional (SEL) learning programs, and their impact on academic outcomes.

Autism Spectrum Disorders & Transitions

Developing a Business Plan for Sustaining School Mental Health Services
Despite its documented benefits, school mental health continues to hit barriers to growth. Financing is commonly cited as the primary challenge. This document describes how three communities and their lead mental health agencies have worked with schools and other local and state agencies to develop sustainable programs.

Improving Access to Children’s Mental Health Care: Lessons from a Study of Eleven States
A challenge to expanding children’s mental health care through the Affordable Care Act is the underdeveloped state of these services across the U.S. An 11-state study conducted by the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools identifies both common barriers to and encouraging examples of success.

May 22, 2013: Mental Health Awareness Month Youth Suicide and Mental Health Briefing

January 22, 2013: House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Mental Health Briefing

Trauma and Grief Resources
In the wake of various violent events causing trauma in our communities, we have compiled a list of resources for dealing with Trauma and Grief in Children.

September 21, 2011: Thought Leader Dialogue Meeting
Information on the Thought Leader Dialogue meeting in Charleston SC, in addition to resources on national prevention strategies.

School Mental Health Services for the 21st Century: Lessons from the District of Columbia School Mental Health Program

Caring Across Communities: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Diverse Children and Youth
Caring Across Communities, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was designed to help meet the mental health needs of immigrant children and youth by building on strong community-school partnerships.

Financing issues
Papers that explore: managed care, interactions between financing policies and mental health services organization, Medicaid and mental health.

Caring for Kids Grant Program: Expanding Dental and Mental and Health Services through School-Based Health Centers. Under this one-time-only grant initiative, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided support to 15 school-based health center programs to expand their mental health services (8) and their dental health services (7).

State school-based mental health programs – Final Report

District of Columbia Department of Mental Health 

School Mental Health Services for the 21st Century: Lessons from the District of Columbia School Mental Health Program
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools was asked to recommend a plan for sustaining and expanding school-based mental health services in Washington, DC. This December 2008 report reviews the history of school mental health in the District of Columbia, reports on lessons learned from other states and localities, and identifies best and promising practices in organizational management, program development, professional training, and financing strategies.

School Mental Health Program Retrospective Report: 2000-2005

Bibliography
In addition to general references, the bibliography has special sections on internet resources, financing and prevention

Resources and links
An annotated list of web sites that provide particularly useful information.