I chose this article because I wanted to know whether school-based mental health counseling provided better academic outcomes than community-based mental health counseling. 

 With the pandemic and the mental health crisis in children, there is a considerable push in Connecticut to provide school-based mental health counseling. In one town in Connecticut, the Superintendent resigned because the students and faculty voted no confidence in him after he refused to implement counseling services in the high school, stating that the children could receive mental health counseling from providers in the community. 

This article made a comparison between community- and school-based counseling services. The variables in the study to test the efficacy of the two interventions were academic outcomes that revolved around absenteeism and suspensions. Interestingly, the information presented was in a manner that did not lean toward or against either intervention. Kang-Yi, et al. conducted a study of 755 children in the Philadelphia school district (2018). The researchers noted that community- and school-based therapeutic services improved clinical outcomes. However, school-based therapy was better suited to target negative behaviors during the school day and resulted in either in-school or out-of-school suspension (Kang-Yi, et al., 2018). 

Another noteworthy item in this article is that there was little progress in academic outcomes using School Therapeutic Services (STS) with absenteeism. In contrast, community-based mental health saw decreased absenteeism rates (Kang-Yi, et al., 2018). The discussion noted that one possibility of reducing absenteeism was that community providers focused on issues outside the schools' auspices. For example, the environment where the child lived was another variable not considered when the study was being conducted (Kang-Yi, et al., 2018). Some students received both school- and community-based services. These individuals did better than their peers overall, but there was only a slight improvement in absenteeism and suspension. 

My experience with school counselors as a child was minimal. I cannot recall working with what was then a guidance counselor on what my aspirations were post high school, choosing my classes, etc. I thought they had a cushy job and did not do much. It is also possible that I was another statistic to them by being a teenage Black mom. When I look at my children's school counselors and the interactions I had with them, unfortunately, it wasn't much different. 

For example, although my oldest daughter wasn't a problem in school, I don't feel like the counselors prepared her for the application process. Like me, she too went to school in the suburbs to get a better education, as was the same for my last five children. Things we learned when my oldest daughter was graduating from high school were from in our community. We missed a lot of scholarship deadlines, and as a result, I paid for her first year of college.

Fast forward 15 years later, and my fourth child will graduate from high school next year. At his PPT meeting, his counselor suggested that he attend a vocational school. It was disheartening to hear that because I honestly don't believe that this same conversation occurs with his White peers. As his mother, I was able to respectfully correct her on her assumption that vocational school would be his best choice post high school and to keep those limiting comments to herself. She did not know that he wanted to pursue a career in the finance industry. I won't be able to change her thoughts about the students she works with, but I can influence how she works with my children.

Her limiting beliefs are why multicultural awareness and cultural competence are essential in counseling. As a school counselor, I would prefer to work with children in the inner city to have someone who believes in them and the possibilities that they have in front of the post high school. I want to be the opposite of the school counselors that I have engaged with because I believe that all students can succeed.

Kang-Yi, C. D., Wolk, C. B., Locke, J., Beidas, R. S., Lareef, I., Pisciella, A. E., Lim, S., Evans, A. C., & Mandell, D. S. (2018). Impact of school-based and out-of-school mental health services on reducing school absence and school suspension among children with psychiatric disorders. Evaluation and Program Planning 67. 105-112.

I believe that all students can achieve success and that success looks different for every student. Although students come to school to learn, they inherently bring influences from their social and cultural selves. These outside influences impact their worldview and can dictate how well they will do in school. As school counselors, we can adapt our educational plans with action steps that allow the students to demonstrate success despite influences that could/may contribute to a student's successful transition to the next grade or from high school.

School Counselor as an Advocate

As an advocate, school counselors should be able to identify current trends/events impacting the education and transition out of high school for the students they work with. In addition, identifying, creating, and implementing strategies that measure the success of the interventions used with the students. Further, as an advocate, the school counselor should be able to identify when an intervention isn't working for their students and pivot to provide other better-suited interventions. Lastly, as advocates, school counselors will speak out against systems and policies that perpetuate social injustices.

Guidance from Ethical Standards

For states that utilize the ASCA National Model of standards, the ethical standards serve as a compass for school counselors by providing a specific set of guidelines on how school counselors should assess and manage their work through the outcomes achieved by the students. Secondly, it guides how they provide direct or indirect service to students. And lastly, it defines targeted skills of focus, based on current trends/events, that each student should have upon completion of the school counseling curriculum. 

Vision Statement

I believe that all children, regardless of race, cultural identity, gender, and sexual orientation, have a right to receive an education. Their education must be in an environment that cultivates self-advocacy, empowers them to pursue their life's interests, and provides them with social-emotional learning skills to communicate and express themselves in a meaningful way that is impactful to their communities.  

Mindset (M) I scored 100%, Behavior: Professional Foundation (B-PF) I scored 73%, Behavior: Service and In-Direct Service (B-SS) I scored an 83%, and Behavior: Planning and Assessment (B-PE) I scored a 69%.

B-PF, there were two items where I scored a 1 for each. I have minimal theoretical experience in human development and learning theories, educational systems, legal issues, and policy research. However, I also scored higher on using established and emerging evidence-based counseling theories and techniques because I use them at work. I also scored a 1 for B-PE in establishing an agreement with administrators about school counseling programs. I felt stronger in identifying gaps in achievement, attendance, discipline, opportunity, and resources, developing annual student outcome goals, and developing and implementing action plans. B-SS I scored myself a 2 because I am growing in this area.

For the areas where I scored low, such as knowledge of human development and learning theories, I plan to take courses that will give me the theoretical knowledge needed to complete my degree successfully. Although I am not familiar with establishing agreements with administrators, I don’t think this would be too hard because we are all there to help all the children successfully transition out of high school.