Master's in Professional School Counseling

Desired future position: Elementary School Counselor

1. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9321305/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

   1. APA Citation:

      1. Zabek, F., Lyons, M. D., Alwani, N., Taylor, J. V., Brown-Meredith, E., Cruz, M. A., & Southall, V. H. (2023). Roles and Functions of School Mental Health Professionals Within Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems. School mental health, 15(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09535-0

   2. Summary:

      1. In the article by Zabek et al. (2023), the authors explore the roles and functions of school mental health professionals, including counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses, within comprehensive school mental health (SMH) systems. The study examines how these professionals contribute to mental health support for students and how their skills are often underutilized within the school system. The article emphasizes the importance of leveraging existing staff expertise to create a more holistic and efficient approach to supporting student well-being, especially in schools with limited resources.

1. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=141489&utm_source=chatgpt.com

   1. APA Citation:

      1. Rahman, L. (2025). Challenges and disparities in providing mental health services through school counseling programs in the United States: Policy interventions at the state level to improve access and effectiveness. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 13(3), 650–662. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2025.133042

   2. Summary of article

      1. Rahman (2025) examines the challenges and disparities in delivering mental health services through school counseling programs in the United States, focusing on policy interventions at the state level to enhance access and effectiveness. The article discusses the increasing mental health needs among school-aged youth and the role of school counseling programs in addressing these needs. It highlights the importance of policy reforms to improve the accessibility and quality of mental health services in schools, emphasizing the need for collaboration among educational institutions, mental health professionals, and policymakers to create supportive environments for students.

1. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1210764.pdf

   1. APA Citation:

      1. King-White, D. L. (2019). The role of school counselors in supporting mental health models in schools. Journal of School Counseling, 17(4), Article 4. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1210764.pdf​

   2. Summary of article

      1. King-White (2019) examines the crucial role of school counselors in implementing and supporting mental health models in K-12 educational settings. The article discusses various mental health challenges faced by students, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It emphasizes the importance of school counselors in addressing these issues. It highlights strategies that counselors can use to support mental health models, including collaboration with educators, families, and community resources, as well as integrating mental health services into the school environment. The author advocates for a comprehensive approach to student well-being, where school counselors play a pivotal role in fostering a supportive and responsive educational environment.

1. https://jsc.montana.edu/articles/v15n18.pdf

   1. APA Citation:

      1. Johnson, G. S. (2016). School counselors supporting the career and college preparedness of students from poverty: Using the CARE model. Journal of School Counseling, 15(18). Retrieved from https://jsc.montana.edu/articles/v15n18.pdf

   2. Summary:

      1. In this article, Johnson (2016) explores the significant role of school counselors in enhancing the career and college readiness of students from low-income backgrounds. The author introduces the CARE model—Cultivate, Acknowledge, Remove, and Expand—as a framework for school counselors to address the unique challenges faced by students from impoverished backgrounds. The article emphasizes the importance of school counselors in advocating for social justice and equity, ensuring that all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to opportunities that promote their future success.​

1. file:///Users/lisas/Downloads/Increasing_College_Knowledge_The_Role_of_School_Co%20(1).pdf

   1. APA Citation:

      1. St. Cyr, A., Barclay, S. R., Couture, V. G., & Bruick, T. (2023). Increasing college knowledge: The role of school counselors. Journal of Education and Learning, 12(3), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v12n3p17

   2. Summary:

      1. St. Cyr et al. (2023) conducted a study to assess school counselors' perceived responsibility, self-efficacy, and performance in helping students develop college knowledge. The research aimed to understand the extent to which counselors feel accountable for increasing college knowledge, their confidence in providing such information, and the actual level of support they offer to students. The findings revealed significant discrepancies between the professional expectations of school counselors and their self-reported practices, indicating a need for additional support and guidance to facilitate college knowledge among students effectively.​

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00220574211016433?

   1. APA Citation:

      1. Parzych, J. L., Generali, M., & Yavuz, O. (2021). School Counseling Programs Identifying Academic Development Needs. Journal of Education, 203(1), 118-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574211016433 (Original work published 2023)

   2. Summary:

      1. Parzych, Generali, and Yavuz (2023) conducted a study to examine the perceptions of students, parents, and faculty regarding academic development needs and the corresponding services provided by comprehensive school counseling programs in four urban middle and high schools. The study involved 1,032 participants who completed a survey designed to help schools plan and evaluate their career and college readiness programs. The results showed statistically significant differences in stakeholder perceptions. These results provide great insights for strategically prioritizing student academic counseling services to meet the needs of students in high-poverty schools.

1. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1063214.pdf

   1. APA citation:

      1. Collins, T. P. (2014). Addressing mental health needs in our schools: Supporting the role of school counselors. The Professional Counselor, 4(5), 413–416. https://doi.org/10.15241/tpc.4.5.413

   2. Summary:

      1.  Collins (2014) emphasizes the critical role of school counselors in addressing the mental health needs of children and adolescents. Despite their potential, school counselors often face challenges such as role ambiguity and underutilization of their services. The article discusses the evolution of school counseling from vocational guidance to comprehensive programs, highlighting the importance of developing competencies in areas such as professional identity, training, self-efficacy, supervision, burnout, and cultural awareness. Collins advocates for systemic changes to enhance the effectiveness of school counselors in supporting student mental health.​

1. file:///Users/lisas/Downloads/FInalPublished_ImplementingEffectiveSchool-BasedMentalHealthServices_AGuideforSchoolCounselors.pdf 

   1. APA citation:

      1. Warren, J. M., Blount, T. N., & Belle, G. (2024). Implementing effective school-based mental health services: A guide for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X241283769

   2. Summary:

      1. Warren, Blount, and Belle (2024) examine the critical role of school counselors in implementing effective school-based mental health services. They highlight the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among K–12 students and the disparities in access to necessary care. The authors discuss how school counselors can leverage implementation science to develop, execute, and sustain mental health programs within schools. Through case examples, they illustrate the practical application of these strategies, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among school counselors, educators, families, and mental health professionals in addressing students' mental health needs effectively.​

1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09535-0

   1. APA citation

      1. Southall, V. H., et al. (2023). Roles and functions of school mental health professionals within comprehensive school mental health systems. Journal of School Mental Health, 15(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09535-0

   2. Summary:

      1. This article examines the competencies and time allocation of school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses in implementing comprehensive school mental health (SMH) systems. It highlights how these professionals' skills are often underutilized and suggests strategies, such as task shifting and interprofessional collaboration, to enhance service delivery. The study emphasizes the need for schools to leverage existing staff expertise to support student mental health effectively.