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FL DOE

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Course Code Directory (CCD) & Instructional Personnel Assignments

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1. Scheduling students into any PreK-12 course, adult general education course, or postsecondary career and technical education course; 2. Aggregating student assignments for course data; 3. Identifying courses which may be used to fulfill graduation and program completion requirements; and 4. Determining appropriate educator certification for specified courses.

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2014-15 Forward Flyer

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Most children and parents will have some distress or upset - so how do I know when a child or family needs additional help?

Ask your patients (and their parents) about reactions and coping.

Listen for ongoing or severe traumatic stress symptoms.

Consider a referral for a more thorough evaluation with a mental health professional if:

Traumatic stress reactions are severe or prolonged (more than a month).

Traumatic stress reactions interfere with recovery or with returning to normal activities.

Consider: Is the child participating in daily activities to the extent possible given their medical condition? Are stress reactions interfering with treatment adherence? Are new fears or worries troubling the child or parent?

Steps for making a referral Effective mental health treatment for traumatic stress Online resources - help in finding a mental health professional Distinguishing between types of mental health professionals
Therapist Resource Guide: There are many ongoing stressors that children and families endure after diagnosis of an illness or an injury. This guide focuses specifically on medical traumatic stress and responses that children and families may have.

Steps for making a referral

Mention concerns you have identified.
Say something like: "I'm concerned that (you are / your child is) having these upsetting thoughts and feelings. It might be useful to talk with a specialist who can help your family more."

Involve child and family in making a plan.
Ask for their ideas about what is needed now
Say something like: "What issues or difficulties are impacting you / your family the most right now? What would help make things better?"

Ask for permission to offer advice. Present advice as range of possibilities; be sure to incorporate patient/family ideas

Say something like: "I have some suggestions that have helped other patients in the past in situations similar to yours. May I share them with you?"

Range of possibilities might include: patient education materials / websites; speaking with social worker, local clergy, school counselor; seeking out support group, referral to therapist / community mental health center.

Ask about their readiness to act on this now or in the future.
Say something like: "Is this (suggested plan) something you would be willing to do when you leave today, or if you need it next week...month?"

Ask about barriers to potential plans / referrals, and strategies to overcome barriers.
Say something like: "What kinds of things would interfere with following-up on this plan we just discussed? How can we work through this so you end up getting the help you need.?"

Involve the child and parent in setting the agenda*:*Adapted from Wissow et al. (2008)

Keep the door open.

If your patient or their parents are not quite ready to act on a suggested referral now, arrange to follow up to see how your patient is doing.

You might say: "I'd like to talk with you again in a few weeks to see how things are going."

Promote continuity of care.
If your care for this patient is ending, ask permission to communicate your concerns about traumatic stress reactions or risk factors to the child's primary care provider, or to other providers who will continue to take care of this patient.

Facilitating collaboration between pediatric health care and mental health providers: The American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Mental Health has developed tools to facilitate collaboration between pediatric health care providers and mental health professionals, including a Physician Referral and Feedback Form template

Effective mental health treatment for traumatic stress

There are very good and helpful treatments for children who continue to have traumatic stress symptoms.
What treatment approaches are effective?
Evidence-based treatments include cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches, and in particular Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT).

Click here for a fact sheet about effective treatments for youth trauma from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

A recent article includes informative summaries of effective mental health treatments for child traumatic stress symptoms, and guidance for health care professionals:
Cohen, J, Kelleher, K, Mannarino, A.. Identifying, treating, and referring traumatized children: The role of pediatric providers. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2008;162(5):447-452 How can I help parents find effective treatment for their child?
When helping parents find a counselor or therapist to help their child with traumatic stress symptoms, you might suggest that they ask prospective therapists questions such as:

Do you have experience working with children after trauma?

What is your approach to working with this type of problem?

What is your success rate?

How do you work with parents?

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers useful tips and information about finding a mental health professional to help children and their families after trauma.

Online resources - help in finding a mental health professional

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has trauma-trained, child mental health professionals and community-based treatment centers in 35 states in the US. For information about or referral to a NCTSN center near you, please go to the NCTSN Organizational Members site.
American Psychological Association - Psychologist Locator National Association of Social Workers - Find a Licensed Social Worker American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists - Psychiatrist Finder Anxiety Disorders Association of America - Find a Therapist Sidran Institute Help Desk - Locate Trauma Resources ISTSS Clinician Directory - Find a Clinician, Counselor or Mental Health Professional
Distinguishing between types of mental health professionals

Psychologists are professionals who have earned a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) after 4-6 years of graduate-level training in human behavior and development, psychological testing and evaluation, and psychotherapy. Psychologists are licensed by the state in which they practice.

Psychiatrists are physicians (M.D. or D.O.) who have completed medical school, plus additional advanced training in the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric disorders and emotional and behavioral problems. Psychiatrists are licensed by the state in which they practice. As medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medications.

Clinical Social Workers are professionals who have earned a master's degree (M.S.W.) after 2-3 years of graduate training. Clinical Social Workers are licensed by the state in which they practice (LCSW or similar credential - varies by state).

Marriage and Family Therapists are professionals who have completed a master's degree (M.A. or M.S.) after 2-3 years of graduate training. Some Marriage and Family Therapists have completed a required amount of clinical hours and passed a state-administered examination to become licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT).

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) & Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC) are mental health professionals who have earned a master's degree (M.A. or M.S.) after 2-3 years of graduate training and have obtained a required amount of clinical experience and passed a state-administered licensing examination.

For more information on the training and credentialing of mental health professionals, see Mayo Clinic: Mental health providers.

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When and How to Refer for Mental Health Care

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Pediatric providers can follow specific steps to determine if and how to refer a child and familiy for further mental health services after a medically traumatic event. Providers can also become familiar with current evidence-based treatments and online resources for mental health services for traumatic stress.

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Credit: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, JMU

An overactive molecular signal pathway in the brain region of the amygdala can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A research team from Würzburg has established this connection.

Some people have an extreme fear of dirt or bacteria. As a result, they may develop a habit of compulsive washing and repeatedly cleaning their hands or body. They are trapped in a vicious circle, as the fear of new contamination returns quickly after washing. Sufferers see no way out. They are even incapable of changing their behaviour when the excessive washing has led to skin irritation or damage.

Around two percent of the general population suffer from some kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at least once in their life. The disorder is characterised by persistent intrusive thoughts which the sufferers try to compensate for by repetitive ritualized behaviour.

Like depression, eating disorders and other mental diseases, OCD is treated with antidepressants. However, the drugs are non-specific, that is they are not tailored to the respective disease. Therefore, scientists have been looking for new and better targeted therapies that have fewer side effects.
Missing protein triggers urge to wash
Professor Kai Schuh from the Institute of Physiology at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg (Germany) and his team explore the underlying causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder in collaboration with the JMU's Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology.

"We were able to show in mouse models that the absence of the protein SPRED2 alone can trigger an excessive grooming behaviour," Schuh says. He believes that this finding is crucial as no clear trigger for this type of disorder has been identified until now. Previous research pointed to multiple factors being responsible for developing OCD.

Occurring in all cells of the body, the protein SPRED2 is found in particularly high concentrations in regions of the brain, namely in the basal ganglia and the amygdala. Normally, the protein inhibits an important signal pathway of the cell, the so-called Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade. When it is missing, this signal pathway is more active than usual.
Hyperactive signal cascade in the brain
"It is primarily the brain-specific initiator of the signal pathway, the receptor tyrosine kinase TrkB, that is excessively active and causes the overshooting reaction of the downstream components", biologist Dr. Melanie Ullrich explains.

Administering an inhibitor to attenuate the overactive signal cascade in the animal model improves the obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Moreover, the JMU research team was able to treat the OCD with an antidepressant, similarly to standard therapy in humans. Their detailed results have been published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
New targets for therapies pinpointed
"Our study delivers a valuable new model that allows the disease mechanisms to be investigated and new therapy options for obsessive-compulsive disorders to be tested," Professor Schuh says.

The recently discovered link between OCDs and the Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade also opens up new targets for therapy. Drugs that inhibit this cascade are already available and some of them are approved for human treatment.

According to Melanie Ullrich, these are cancer drugs, as overactivation of the Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade is also a frequent trigger of cancer: "So we are wondering whether such drugs could also be effective in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders and whether they are beneficial in terms of side effects."

More information: M Ullrich et al. OCD-like behavior is caused by dysfunction of thalamo-amygdala circuits and upregulated TrkB/ERK-MAPK signaling as a result of SPRED2 deficiency, Molecular Psychiatry (2017). DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.232

Provided by Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

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An overactive molecular signal pathway in the brain region of the amygdala can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A research team from Würzburg has established this connection. Some people have an extreme fear of dirt or bacteria. As a result, they may develop a habit of compulsive washing and repeatedly cleaning their hands or body.

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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Fact Sheet

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Home - ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association

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Empowering adults with adhd to live their best lives A Different Brain Requires a Different Approach Whether you're newly diagnosed, wondering if you have ADHD, or simply ready to take charge of your life - we're here to help. Have ...

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder is, in my book, a red flag. It is an indication that there is something else going on. I have never... seen a kid that meets criteria for ODD and did not meet criteria for some other diagnosis. It is as if the oppositional and defiant behavior is a coping strategy for dealing with other issues. Or a poorly functional reaction to other issues that are NOT being dealt with.

ODD is a psychiatric disorder, the definite causes of which are unknown, although biological and environmental factors may have a role to play. The hallmark of ODD is a recurrent pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient and hostile behaviour towards authoritative figures in particular that continues for at least six months, during which four or more of the following are present:

often loses temper

often argues with adults

often actively defies/refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules

often deliberately annoys people

often puts the blame for own mistakes or behaviour on others

often is easily upset or annoyed by others

often is angry and resentful

often is spiteful and vindictive

The disturbance in behaviour causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic and/or occupational functioning. Students with ODD possess a 'counter-will': the more pressure one applies the greater the opposition. Actions are premeditated and often the student may want confrontation. Typically, in the school situation the student with ODD will be aggressive and will purposefully bother and irritate others.

It is exceptionally rare for a student to present with ODD alone: usually students have other neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, conduct disorder (CD) and bipolar disorder. Students may also present with Tourette syndrome or other special educational needs.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder is, in my book, a red flag. It is an indication that there is something else going on. I have never... seen a kid that meets criteria for ODD and did not meet criteria for some other diagnosis. It is as if the oppositional and defiant behavior is a coping strategy for dealing with other issues.

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Conduct Disorder

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The key, for the teacher as well as for the student, is hard work. When hard work is combined with love, humor and a recognition of ... the desire to learn, the ability to sacrifice, the wish to get ahead that burns in our young people, the stereotypes and the barriers begin to crumble.

CD may at first present as what one may believe to be oppositional defiant disorder (ODD); however, it is more severe and has more socially disruptive and disturbing characteristics. While students with CD may share characteristics similar to the students with ODD they are more physically aggressive and threatening, and appear to lack empathy. Behaviour in which the rights of others or ageappropriate societal norms are violated is persistent and repetitive. CD is one of the most disruptive and difficult conditions to affect the behaviour of students and those with CD have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. Typically, CD is not diagnosed until the student is at post-primary level.

Those with CD may be aggressive to people and/or animals and this may be exhibited when the student bullies threatens or intimidates others, initiates physical fights, uses a dangerous weapon, is physically cruel to people and/or animals, steals while confronting others (e.g. mugging, purse snatching, extortion) and/or forces someone into sexual activity. Students with CD may deliberately set fires and destroy property. Deceitfulness, lying and/or stealing also characterise the student with CD and may present when a student breaks into a house/car, lies and engages in stealing activities such as shoplifting. Serious violation of rules may also be associated with CD and may include truancy from school.

It is exceptionally rare for a student to present with CD alone. The student may have some other neuropsychiatric disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression or bipolar disorder. Students with CD may also have Tourette syndrome, learning difficulties, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or other special educational needs.

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The key, for the teacher as well as for the student, is hard work. When hard work is combined with love, humor and a recognition of ... the desire to learn, the ability to sacrifice, the wish to get ahead that burns in our young people, the stereotypes and the barriers begin to crumble.

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Each child is an individual with different social, emotional, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, their educational needs may vary from one season or school year to the next.

In the first section of our chapter, "School: A Child's World Beyond Home" we cover the legal evolution of the Individual with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA 2004) and advise a parent how to initiate an Individual Education Plan (IEP), prepare for the IEP meeting (including rehearsal strategies), and locate educational consultants and attorneys.

But the more we talked to people in preparation for this chapter, the more we came to understand that both parents and educators were confused about the construction of an IEP for a student struggling with a bipolar disorder. A model IEP-one that specifically addresses the seasonal variations in mood, energy, attention, motivation, and behavior, as well as one that addresses the frequently co-occurring executive function deficits, needed to be developed.

Therefore, we asked special education advocate, Anne Marie Smith, M. Ed., from Agawam, Massachusetts, to construct an IEP that might provide guidelines for educating a middle school student throughout the school year.

With the hope that the following information is helpful to parents and educators alike, we excerpt the following from The Bipolar Child (pages 305-311.) Also see pages 295-303 in the book for a highly focused and very comprehensive list of accommodations, modifications, and special services that can be incorporated into an IEP.
From The Bipolar Child by Demitri Papolos, M.D. and Janice Papolos (Broadway Books, 2006). All rights reserved.

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Bipolar Children Individual Education Plan (IEP) Model

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Each child is an individual with different social, emotional, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, their educational needs may vary from one season or school year to the next.

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IBF

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Not all students who have disabilities require specialized instruction. For students with disabilities who do require specialized instruction in the United States, the IDEA controls the procedural requirements and an IEP is developed. "Special education" under IDEA means the child has been identified as having unique educational needs related to his/her disability and is entitled to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to meet these needs.

The IDEA process is more involved than that of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The IDEA requires that measurable growth and progress towards written goals and objectives be documented.

For students with disabilities who do not require specialized instruction but need the assurance that they will receive equal access to public education and services, a document is created to outline their specific accessibility requirements. Section 504 is a federal civil rights law. The purpose of Section 504 is to protect persons with disabilities against discrimination for reasons related to their disabilities.

While students with a 504 plan do not require specialized instruction, and specific goals and objectives are not necessarily outlines nor is data tracked, the plan should be reviewed annually to ensure that the student is receiving the most effective accommodations for his/her specific circumstances.

Unlike IDEA, Section 504 does not guarantee that a child with a disability will receive an individualized educational program that is designed to meet the child's individual educational needs. Rather, it guarantees that accommodations will be made relative to their specific medical needs.

Eligibility for protections under Section 504 depends on the child in question having a physical or mental impairment which must substantially limit at least one major life activity. Major life activities include walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, writing, performing math calculations, working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks. Section 504 requires an evaluation that draws information from a variety of sources.

A child who receives Section 504 protections has fewer rights than the child who receives special education services under the IDEA. The child who receives special education services under the IDEA is automatically protected under Section 504.

Section 504 is designed to guarantee that children with disabilities will not be discriminated against. It is also important to understand that if your child does not qualify for special education services under IDEA, your child does not have the procedural protections that are available under the IDEA.

Under Section 504, the child with a disability may receive accommodations and modifications that are not available to children who are not disabled. These accommodations and modifications are also available under IDEA. For example; accommodations could include, but not be limited to, such things as:

Tests taken in a separate location with time limits waived or extended.

The use of a word processor due to fine motor, visual motor deficits.

Shortened assignments.

Standardized tests answers written directly in the test booklet and transferred onto answer sheet by teacher or assistant.

Class notes provided rather than having the student copy from the chalkboard or overhead.

Allowing the child to leave the classroom 2 to 3 minutes early to avoid crowded hallways.

Preferential seating in the classroom.

Provision of a daily assignment sheet to be filled out by the student and verified by the teacher for accuracy. The parent could then check to make sure that all the work is accomplished. This would assist with homework prioritizing and management.

Please note: These are simply examples. All or none of these may be suitable for your child.

Students with bipolar disorder may or may not have a need for specialized instruction provided within an IEP. For some students, simply being granted accommodations that make allowance for the side effects of medications, related anxiety issues, or results of mood changes is sufficient.

Students with bipolar disorder who are well-controlled on medication may or may not be plagued by racing thoughts, distracting thoughts, an inability to concentrate, decreased energy; all of which will require modifications in the teaching environment or instructional strategies.

For other students, the side effects of medications may be significant enough to require changes in instruction provided or curriculum modifications. Some of the common side effects of medications include: tremors (trembling of hands), blurred vision, loss of coordination, slurred speech, sedation, ataxia (unsteady movement), dizziness, seizures. Some students with bipolar disorder may also have one of a number of other disabilities that impacts their access to the general education curriculum; such as vision or hearing impairment, learning disability, processing problems, or other disability. The co-morbidity rates of ADHD, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional-defiant disorder and learning disabilities in students with bipolar disorder tell us that we should explore all avenues available to meet the educational needs of our children.

The following accommodations are meant to serve as a resource for parents unsure of what possibilities exist:

Students on some medications may need:

increased access to water, unlimited access to restrooms (particularly students taking Lithium)

decreased reading assignments or having books on tape or computer screen-reading due to blurred vision

modified school arrival, shortened day, scheduling of core content during the student's most alert time, reducing homework and extending deadlines, providing notes, allowing longer or more frequent breaks, allowing exercise or other movement due to sleep impairment or to sedation of medications

provision of notes and listening guides, work monitoring, extended time on assignments, extra set of books for home use, breaking assignments into more manageable pieces, use of checklists, providing written instructions and/or other visual cues, use of word banks on fill-in types of tests and other modifications that aid retrieval/memory, testing in a separate room, or extended test time, use of multiple choice formats, use of oral exams rather than written demands, use of noise-canceling headsets, - all for impaired concentration, memory

reducing or discontinuing homework may be necessary for some students due to difficulties with concentration, sleep patterns, mood irritability. For these students it may be necessary to schedule a resource room period at the beginning of the day to get assignments ready for the day, or at the end of the day to complete assignments before leaving school

preferential seating can be used to help with vision, focus, reduce visual or auditory distraction, allow for discrete monitoring

and while a 504 plan will simply list the type of accommodation needed and the reasons for it/them, an IEP must contain objectives that are written with specific criteria; such as -Given a grade level reading assignment of 1 chapter with 4 comprehension questions, (name) will answer the questions with 60/70/80% accuracy. Or given an assignment containing 5 long division problems, (name) will complete 3/4/5 problems at 80% accuracy.

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Accommodations for Students with Bipolar Disorder and Related Disabilities - International Bipolar Foundation

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JBRF

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How to Prepare for the IEP Meeting - Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation

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The maximum amount of time allowed to pass between the parents' request and/or agreement to conduct the evaluation to the IEP development differs from state to state, but most regulations cite a time line somewhere between fifty and 120 days. (Note: In some states the meeting at which the IEP is written is called by...

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The School Counselor's Role

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Eating Disorders-The School Counselor's Role

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National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)

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National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)

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Angelo State UniversityAmalia ChesserEating DisordersAccording to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) eating disorders are "serious but treatable illnesses with medical and psychiatric aspects."Eating DisordersThe DSM-5 (2013) recognizes anorexia, bullimia, and binge-eating disorder (BED), as diagnosable eating disorders. Eating disorders can be described as: high weight, low weight, vomiting, purging, binge eating, excessive exercise (Abraham, 2016).

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NICHCY Emotional Disturbance Fact Sheet

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Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders

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Child Mind Institute | Transforming Children’s Lives.

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The Child Mind Institute is an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

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Center for Parent Information and Resources

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Center for Parent Information and Resources

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Links updated, November 2021
This information in Spanish

The mental health of our children is a natural and important concern for us all. The fact is, many mental disorders have their beginnings in childhood or adolescence, yet may go undiagnosed and untreated for years. ( 1)

We refer to mental disorders using different "umbrella" terms such as emotional disturbance, behavioral disorders, or mental illness. Beneath these umbrella terms, there is actually a wide range of specific conditions that differ from one another in their characteristics and treatment. These include (but are not limited to):

anxiety disorders;

bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic-depression);

conduct disorders;

eating disorders;

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); and

psychotic disorders.

You may be reading this fact sheet with one of these specific disorders in mind, or you may be looking for information about emotional disturbances in general. In either case, keep reading to find out what different emotional distubances have in common, how they are defined in federal law, and where to find more detailed information on specific disorders.
Quick-Jump Menu
Definition
IDEA defines emotional disturbance as follows:
We've chosen to use the term "emotional disturbance" in this fact sheet because that is the term used in the nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

"...a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems." ( 2)

As defined by IDEA, emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance. ( 3)

Characteristics

As is evident in IDEA's definition, emotional disturbances can affect an individual in areas beyond the emotional. Depending on the specific mental disorder involved, a person's physical, social, or cognitive skills may also be affected. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southern Arizona puts this very well:

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. ( 4)

Some of the characteristics and behaviors seen in children who have an emotional disturbance include:

Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness);

Aggression or self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting);

Withdrawal (not interacting socially with others, excessive fear or anxiety);

Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and

Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level).

Children with the most serious emotional disturbances may exhibit distorted thinking, excessive anxiety, bizarre motor acts, and abnormal mood swings.

Many children who do not have emotional disturbance may display some of these same behaviors at various times during their development. However, when children have an emotional disturbance, these behaviors continue over long periods of time. Their behavior signals that they are not coping with their environment or peers.

Causes

No one knows the actual cause or causes of emotional disturbance, although several factors-heredity, brain disorder, diet, stress, and family functioning-have been suggested and vigorously researched. A great deal of research goes on every day, but to date, researchers have not found that any of these factors are the direct cause of behavioral or emotional problems.

According to NAMI, mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Further:

Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan. ( 5)

Frequency

Of the 74.5 million children in the United States, an estimated 17.1 million have or have had a psychiatric disorder. ( 6) Half of all psychiatric illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75% by the age of 24. The most common psychiatric disorders in childhood are anxiety disorders, AD/HD and disruptive behavior, depression and bipolar disorders, and eating disorders. ( 7)

Help for School-Aged Children

IDEA requires that special education and related services be made available free of charge to every eligible child with a disability, including preschoolers (ages 3-21). These services are specially designed to address the child's individual needs associated with the disability-in this case, emotional disturbance, as defined by IDEA (and further specified by states). In the 2016 school year, more than 349,000 children and youth with emotional disturbance received these services to address their individual needs related to emotional disturbance. ( 8)

Determining a child's eligibility for special education and related services begins with a full and individual evaluation of the child. Under IDEA, this evaluation is provided free of charge in public schools.
10 Basic Steps in Special Education Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services Evaluating Children for Disability Developing Your Child's IEP
There is a lot to know about the special education process, much of which you can learn here on the CPIR site. We invite you to read the wide range of publications we offer on the topic, especially:

A Look at Specific Emotional Disturbances

As we mentioned, emotional disturbance is a commonly used umbrella term for a number of different mental disorders. Let's take a brief look at some of the most common of these.

We all experience anxiety from time to time, but for many people, including children, anxiety can be excessive, persistent, seemingly uncontrollable, and overwhelming. An irrational fear of everyday situations may be involved. This high level of anxiety is a definite warning sign that a person may have an anxiety disorder.

The term "anxiety disorder" is a broad term covering several different disabilities that share the core symptom of irrational fear. These include such different disorders as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia), and specific phobias. ( 9)

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults. ( 10) They are also highly treatable. Unfortunately, only about 36.9% of those affected receive treatment. ( 11)

Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a serious medical condition that causes dramatic mood swings from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. ( 12)

For most people with bipolar disorder, these mood swings and related symptoms can be stabilized over time using an approach that combines medication and psychosocial treatment. ( 13)

Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder refers to a group of behavioral and emotional problems in youngsters. Children and adolescents with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. ( 14) This may include some of the following behaviors:

aggression to people and animals;

destruction of property;

deceitfulness, lying, or stealing; or

truancy or other serious violations of rules. (15)

Treatment will depend on the child's symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is. Treatment may include:

helping the child learn how to better solve problems, communicate, and handle stress, as well as how to control impulses and anger (what's known as cognitive-behavioral therapy);

family therapy;

peer group therapy (to help better social and interpersonal skills); and

medications (although these are not typically used to treat conduct disorder). (16)

Eating disorders are characterized by extremes in eating behavior-either too much or too little-or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape. Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. ( 17)

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two most common types of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and dramatic loss of weight. Bulimia nervosa involves a cycle of binge eating, then self-induced vomiting or purging. Both of these disorders are potentially life-threatening. ( 18)

Binge eating is also considered an eating disorder. It's characterized by eating excessive amounts of food, while feeling unable to control how much or what is eaten. Unlike with bulimia, people who binge eat usually do not purge afterward by vomiting or using laxatives. ( 19)

According to the National Eating Disorders Association:

Treating an eating disorder generally involves a combination of psychological and nutritional counseling, along with medical and psychiatric monitoring. Treatment must address the eating disorder symptoms and medical consequences, as well as psychological, biological, interpersonal, and cultural forces that contribute to or maintain the eating disorder... Many people utilize a treatment team to treat the multi-faceted aspects of an eating disorder. ( 20)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Often referred to as OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder is actually considered an anxiety disorder (which was discussed earlier in this fact sheet). OCD is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors (handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning) are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. ( 21)

A large body of scientific evidence suggests that OCD results from a chemical imbalance in the brain. ( 22) Treatment for most people with OCD should include one or more of the following:

therapist trained in behavior therapy;

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT);

medication (usually an antidepressant). (23)

"Psychotic disorders" is another umbrella term used to refer to severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. Two of the main symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there. Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder. ( 24) There are others as well.

Treatment for psychotic disorders will differ from person to person, depending on the specific disorder involved. Most are treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy (a type of counseling). ( 25)

More about School

As mentioned, emotional disturbance is one of the categories of disability specified in IDEA. This means that a child with an emotional disturbance may be eligible for special education and related services in public school. These services can be of tremendous help to students who have an emotional disturbance.

Typically, educational programs for children with an emotional disturbance need to include attention to providing emotional and behavioral support as well as helping them to master academics, develop social skills, and increase self-awareness, self-control, and self-esteem. A large body of research exists regarding methods of providing students with positive behavioral support (PBS) in the school environment, so that problem behaviors are minimized and positive, appropriate behaviors are fostered. (See the resource section at the end of this fact sheet for more information on PBS.) It is also important to know that, within the school setting:

For a child whose behavior impedes learning (including the learning of others), the team developing the child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) needs to consider, if appropriate, strategies to address that behavior, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports.

Students eligible for special education services under the category of emotional disturbance may have IEPs that include psychological or counseling services. These are important related services available under IDEA and are to be provided by a qualified social worker, psychologist, guidance counselor, or other qualified personnel.

Recognizing and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 | As young people return to in-person schooling in the 2021-2022 school year, they may bring with them the impact of the pandemic's trauma. This makes it essential that schools consider the possibility that many students will need to be re-evaluated to determine if they need additional services, especially behavioral support and mental health services, than they needed prior to COVID-19. Two resources of great relevance to reopening schools and returning students are the following:

Other Considerations

Children and adolescents with an emotional disturbance should receive services based on their individual needs, and everyone involved in their education or care needs to be well-informed about the care that they are receiving. It's important to coordinate services between home, school, and community, keeping the communication channels open between all parties involved.

The Importance of Support

Families often need help in understanding their child's disability and how to address the needs that arise from the disability. Help is available from psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals that work in the public or private sector. There is also a network of mental health support operating in every state as well as locally.

To locate systems of support in your community or state, visit the organizations we've listed below. They can connect you with local resources, including support groups that provide connection and understanding, information, referral, and advocacy for those living with emotional disturbance.

There are also support groups available from organizations that address specific mental disorders under the umbrella term of emotional disturbance. See the resources at the end of this fact sheet to identify some of these groups.

Resources of More Information

AACAP | American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | AACAP offers Facts for Families, a series in English, Spanish, and several other languages that includes many briefs on specific mental disorders, including the ones mentioned in this publication.

AACAP also operates different Resource Centers, which offer consumer-friendly definitions, answers to frequently asked questions, clinical resources, expert videos, Facts for Families, and much more. Visit the Resource Center home page if you are concerned with one of the following:

Anxiety Disorders

Autism

Bipolar Disorder

Conduct Disorder

Depression

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

NIMH | National Institute of Mental Health | NIMH is clearly a source of authoritative information on specific mental disorders. Phone: 1.866.615.6464. TTY: 1.866.415.8051

NAMI | National Alliance on Mental Illness | NAMI is an excellent source of information and connection on mental illness, including the individual disorders mentioned in this fact sheet. NAMI's website and toll-free helpline are available in English and Spanish.

SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. It offers many resources to consumers, including:.

Detailed information on specific emotional disturbances, or related issues such as positive behavior supports, is also available from these sources:

Anxiety Disorders Association of America | https://adaa.org/

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports | The PBIS Center provides research-based information on how to provide behavioral supports to children who need them. | https://www.pbis.org

Conduct Disorders | A soft place to land for battle-weary parents
https://www.conductdisorders.com/community/

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders | http://www.minddisorders.com/index.html

National Eating Disorders Association
1.800.931.2237 | www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Something Fishy | (eating disorders)
https://www.something-fishy.org

**Highly Rated Resource! This resource was reviewed by 3-member panels of Parent Center staff working independently from one another to rate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of CPIR resources. This resource was found to be of "High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness" to Parent Centers.
________________________________________

References

2 | Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, §300.8(c)(4)(i)

3 | Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, §300.8(c)(4)(ii)

5 | Ibid.

7 | Ibid.

11 | Ibid.

13 | Ibid.

14 | American Academy of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry. (2013, August). Conduct disorder: Facts for families. Washington, DC: Author. Available online at:
http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Conduct_Disorder_33.aspx

15 | Ibid.

16 | Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. (n.d.). Conduct disorder in children. Baltimore, MD: Author. Online at:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/mental_health_disorders/conduct_disorder_90,P02560

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Links updated, November 2021 This information in Spanish The mental health of our children is a natural and important concern for us all. The fact is, many mental disorders have their beginnings in childhood or adolescence, yet may go undiagnosed and untreated for years.

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How School Counselors Make a Difference (shared by Dr. Casarez)

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The multifaceted work of school counselors helps prepare
students academically and emotionally for life beyond school.
By Patrick J. O'Connor
Long considered an integral part of a school's support system, school counselors bring a wealth of insight and resources to a variety of student-centered issues. As part of a team of mental health experts, school counselors work with students individually and collectively to create a school climate that leads to healthy learning, living, and growth.

The specific roles that a school counselor takes on vary, depending to some extent on needs within the school and the presence of other professionals with overlapping roles and areas of expertise, such as psychologists and social workers. But, in general, as the American School Counselor Association (ASCA, 2014) explains, counselors' work today falls into three domains:

Career and college development. Historically, school counselors' primary responsibility has been to help students prepare for the transition to college and/or careers, and this continues to be a central part of their mission. In fact, given the expanding array of learning options available after high school and the fast-changing demands of the workforce, students are coming to rely on counselors more than ever before to provide accurate, comprehensive, and personalized guidance for postsecondary planning.

Academic development. By working alone with students or teaming with classroom teachers and other education professionals, school counselors help students build the curiosity and academic skills needed to be the best learners possible. For example, counselors are often responsible for overseeing individual student planning. A growing interest in personalization has made this role especially important in recent years, with school counselors working closely with students to explore potential avenues of study and create individual goals for deepening their knowledge in areas of interest.

Social and emotional development. As an integral part of their schools' student support system, counselors tend to work hand in hand with psychologists, social workers, and nurses to create a school climate that promotes healthy learning, living, and personal growth. And shouldthe need arise, they respond to students who are facing personal challenges and steer them toward appropriate services at school or in the community.

The amount of time school counselors devote to each of these domains largely depends on the individual needs of the students they serve and the availability of other mental health professionals to offer direct services to students. Ideally, the school counselor is part of a building-wide team that includes a school psychologist and social worker. Typically, school psychologists administer psychological evaluations for individual students and oversee the creation of individualized learning plans for students with special needs, while social workers tend to focus on student needs outside school. Under this arrangement, the school counselor would then focus on student services within the building, devoting not less than 80% of their time to offering direct student services in the three domains combined.

By building in proactive strategies, including small-group counseling activities and discussions, counselors provide positive examples of behavior students can incorporate in their lives, leading to healthier decisions and more positive actions.

In the 2014-15 school year, 104,306 school counselors served more than 50 million U.S. students, with an average student-to-counselor ratio of 482 (ASCA, n.d.-d). They are required to have at least a master's degree in school counseling and to meet the certification and licensure standards for their state. To meet students' needs across the three domains, these counselors oversee the school counseling curriculum, which, like the academic curriculum, tends to be arranged by grade level. Unlike an academic curriculum, school counseling activities aren't always delivered in classroom settings. While classroom instruction is a part of a counselor's work, other services are best delivered with small groups of students and in one-on-one meetings. And since this curriculum touches on a broad range of skills and content - including activities related to study skills, conflict resolution, and college and career exploration - counselors often reach out to and collaborate with people who have expertise in these areas, such as local college faculty, healthcare professionals, and employers.
The difference school counselors make
Research suggests that school counselors can and often do have positive influences in all three domains of their work. For example, a study of counseling practices in six states shows that effective counseling strategies tend to have positive effects on classroom attendance, discipline, and overall achievement (Carey & Dimmitt, 2012). Likewise, counseling interventions have been shown to help close the achievement gap between student groups, as found in a program in which counselors delivered lessons specifically designed to support Latina and Latino students in math and science (León et al., 2011). These studies suggest that school counseling programs are most successful when counseling services include more than a response to a situation that already exists. By building in proactive strategies, including small-group counseling activities and discussions, as well as classroom presentations on topics that promote academic and social-emotional growth, counselors provide positive examples of behavior students can incorporate in their lives, leading to healthier decisions and more positive actions.

Further, a wealth of anecdotal evidence shows how counselors have helped teachers and other school leaders support student learning. For instance, a counselor-led initiative at a Sunnyside, Washington, high school boosted graduation rates by nearly 30 percent (Salina et al., 2013). Similarly, the 2018 Counselor of the Year, Kirsten Perry of Lawndale Community Academy in Illinois, has been credited with helping reduce chronic absenteeism by 61% over two years and raise her school's academic standing. Her multifaceted approach to her work also addressed students' emotional needs by bringing them together in "peace circles" to discuss and resolve their conflicts (Wegner, 2018).

When it comes to social and emotional development, counselors can play a significant role in everything from reducing negative student behaviors (Curtis et al., 2010) to reducing the spread of gossip among students (Cross & Peisner, 2009) to increasing awareness of depression and suicide risk (Erickson & Abel, 2013). Counselor support can also make a tremendous difference for students from low-income families and students from underrepresented groups, as in the examples of counselors helping students of Mexican descent build stronger relationships at school (Malott et al., 2010) and increasing the sense of empowerment and aspiration among Black males (Wyatt, 2009).

The effect school counselors have on young people's career and college plans is well known, but the results of a statewide counseling initiative in Colorado (Johnson, 2016) is especially notable. Fueled by a state start-up grant, Colorado created 220 new school counseling positions over eight years and provided counselors with training in dropout prevention and college access strategies. The affected schools saw the dropout rate decline from 5.5% to 3.7%, while college attendance and persistence increased by 13 percentage points. And, in an important unintended consequence, student participation in career and technical education more than doubled. With more students attending high school, the schools' total funding base increased enough for the new counseling positions to pay for themselves once the grants expired. By investing $16 million up-front in new counseling positions, Colorado created counseling positions that more than paid for themselves and saved the state over $300 million in the social costs associated with supporting high school dropouts.
Maximizing school counselor effectiveness
Given the differences school counselors can make in everything from school climate to classroom achievement to individual behavior, what are some of the conditions that need to be present for schools to make the most of the expertise and training of their school counselor?
Counselor caseloads
The success of the Colorado initiative offers insights into something school counselors have long known - they can do more when they have manageable caseloads. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of not more than 250 students per counselor, but the average caseload nationally for 2014-15 was 482, with just three states having ratios at or below the recommended ratio, and 11 states reporting a ratio of 500 or more students per counselor (ASCA, n.d.-c).

The Colorado initiative succeeded in part by reducing counselor ratios at the participating schools from 363 students per counselor to 216. Given the financial savings the state has realized as a result of adding school counselors, it is understandable why several states are considering providing funding for new school counselor positions (see, for example, Bisaha, 2018).
Use of counselor time
Regardless of the number of students on their caseloads, school counselors often find themselves limited in their effectiveness because they are assigned administrative duties that have little to do with their role as a counselor. Although counselors recognize the importance of taking their turn with obligations like lunch duty and supporting the safe start and end of a school day, tasks like changing student schedules, administering building-wide tests, and constructing the school's master schedule take them away from the student-centered tasks that should be the core of their work.

Administrators can support counseling efforts by sitting down with their building counselors before the start of each school year to develop a clear understanding of the counselors' role. The ASCA Agreement Template (ASCA, n.d.-a) provides counselors and administrators with a starting point for this discussion, outlining the goals of the school counseling curriculum for the year and the appropriate allocation of the counselor's time to achieve those goals. This template also serves as a source for creating assessment data to measure the effectiveness of the school counseling curriculum and to build plans for future years based on those results.

Counselors looking to improve the results of their college access curriculum may want to review the time they allocate to this task, as well as their college expectations for their students. A study by the Education Commission of the States (Zinth, 2014) shows that 73% of high schools with a high college-going rate have counselors who devote 20% or more of their time to college counseling, while only 25% of the high schools with a low college-going rate have counselors who spend that much time on the task. At the same time, 72% of the counselors at the high college-going high schools place college access as their first goal, while the low college-going high schools list college access as their first goal only 32% of the time.
Access to community resources
The American School Counselor Association recommends all school counselors convene a counseling advisory committee (CAC) as part of its counseling curriculum. Separate from the school improvement committee, the CAC's goals are to "foster a collaborative partnership with community stakeholders, educate the advisory members about the school counseling program's strengths, demonstrate the program's unique needs and communicate the program's outcomes" (ASCA, n.d.-b). By engaging local business leaders, clergy, mental health specialists, and leaders of community organization, CACs help broaden awareness of the school counseling program and widen the potential resources the program can draw on.

Although an engaged, effective CAC can foster greater recognition of the school counseling program and establish community ties to improve counseling services, school counselors report challenges in convening regular meetings of their CAC and an inability to direct their activities due to lack of time. High caseloads can prevent school counselors from making the most of their CAC, but with the right amount of administrative support, counselors can begin to engage their CACs actively and create student-centered goals for the committee that members can fully support.
Review of counselor training
Some school counselors have expressed a desire for their graduate school training in school counseling to align more with the duties and activities they experience on the job. This need was highlighted in a survey conducted by the National Consortium for School Counseling and Postsecondary Success:

The survey discovered a strong discrepancy between school counselors and school counselor educators on the content covered in counselor education programs, with counselor educators reporting much more effective coverage of topics than practitioners. This gap in perceptions suggests that counselor educators may need to pay closer attention to the demands of those in the field as well as emerging responsibilities such as a greater need to support career and college readiness. (Brown et al., 2016, p. 12)

In light of the ever-changing needs of students in all three school counseling areas, counselor training and continuing education programs need to be fine-tuned to ensure counselors are providing students and families with the latest in research-based programming and advice. A bill passed by the Michigan legislature in November 2017 requires all counselors in that state to receive such updates as part of their regular recertification requirements. Other states would do well to consider the best path they can take to support counselors' desires for current training.

School counselors have a long record of working effectively with students, parents, fellow educators, and community members to create new paths of learning, achievement, and self-discovery. While much of this work is done behind the scenes, it has been empirically shown to make a difference in the lives of our students and our schools. More important, that difference resides in the hearts and minds of students who are leading stronger, healthier lives, thanks to the school counselor who supported them and showed them more of what their lives could be.
References
American School Counselor Association. (n.d.-a). Annual agreement template. Alexandria, VA: Author. www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/
ASCA%20National%20Model%20Templates/AnnualAgreementTemplate.pdf

ASCA. (n.d.-b). ASCA national model FAQs. Alexandria, VA: Author. www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors/asca-national-model/asca-national-model-faqs

ASCA. (n.d.-c). The role of the school counselor. Alexandria, VA: Author. www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Careers-Roles/RoleStatement.pdf

ASCA. (n.d.-d). Student-to-school-counselor ratio 2014-15. Alexandria, VA: Author. www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/Ratios14-15LowestToHighest.pdf

ASCA. (2014). Mindsets and behaviors for student success: K-12 college-and career-readiness standards for every student. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Bisaha, S. (2018, January 18). Kansas looks at hiring school counselors, if they can be found. KCUR Radio. http://kcur.org/post/kansas-looks-hiring-school-counselors-if-they-can-be-found

Brown, J., Hatch, T., Holcomb-McCoy, C., Martin, P., Mcleod, J., Owen, L., & Savitz-Romer, M. (2016). The state of school counseling: Revisiting the path forward. Washington, DC: National Consortium for School Counseling and Postsecondary Success.

Carey, J. & Dimmitt, C. (2012). School counseling and student outcomes: Summary of six statewide studies. Professional School Counseling, 16 (2), 146-153.

Cross, J.E. & Peisner, W. (2009). RECOGNIZE: A social norms campaign to reduce rumor spreading in a junior high school. Professional School Counseling, 12 (5), 365-377.

Curtis, R., Van Horne, J.W., Robertson, P., & Karvonen, M. (2010). Outcomes of a school-wide positive behavioral support program. Professional School Counseling, 13 (3), 159-164.

Erickson, A. & Abel, N.R. (2013). A high school counselor's leadership in providing school-wide screenings for depression and enhancing suicide awareness. Professional School Counseling, 16 (5), 283-289.

Johnson, N. (2016, August 2). Colorado spends $16 million on h.s. counselors and saves $300 million in safety net services. The 74 Million. www.the74million.org/article/colorado-spends-16-million-on-hs-counselors-and-saves-300-million-in-safety-net-services

León, A., Villares, E., Brigman, G., Webb, L., & Peluso, P. (2011). Closing the achievement gap of Latina/Latino students: A school counseling perspective. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, 2 (1), 73-86.

Malott, K.M., Paone, T.R., Humphreys, K., & Martinez, T. (2010). Use of group counseling to address ethnic identity development: Application with adolescents of Mexican descent. Professional School Counseling, 13 (5), 257-267.

Salina, C., Girtz, S., Eppinga, J., Martinez, D., Blumer Kilian, D., Lozano, E., . . . Shines, T. (2013). All hands on deck: A comprehensive, results-driven counseling model. Professional School Counseling, 17 (1), 63-75.

Wegner, R. (2018, February 5). Michelle Obama presents Counselor of the Year award to Chicago educator. Education Week. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/
2018/02/michelle_obama_presents_2018_school_counselor_of_the_year_award.html

Wyatt, S. (2009). The Brotherhood: Empowering adolescent African-American males toward excellence. Professional School Counseling, 12 (6), 463-470.

Zinth, J. (2014). College counseling in high schools: Advising state policy. The Progress of Education Reform, 15 (6).

PATRICK J. O'CONNOR (poconnor@cranbrook.edu; @collegeisyours) is associate dean of college counseling at Cranbrook Schools in metropolitan Detroit. He is also the inaugural School Counselor Ambassador Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education and the author of College Counseling for School Counselors (Outskirts Press, 2015).

Originally published in April 2018 Phi Delta Kappan 99 (7), 35-39. © 2018 Phi Delta Kappa International. All rights reserved.

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How school counselors make a world of difference

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The multifaceted work of school counselors helps prepare students academically and emotionally for life beyond school. By Patrick J. O'Connor Long considered an integral part of a school's support system, school counselors bring a wealth of insight and resources to a variety of student-centered issues. As part of

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NASP Tips for Talking to Children About Violence

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Implications for School Counselors

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Anger Management Resources

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Anger Worksheets for Adolescents | Therapist Aid

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Free anger management worksheets for therapists. Topics include anger triggers, relaxation skills, warning signs, and more.

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From Dr. Tamar Chansky Creator of Worrywisekids.org