Forging Interdisciplinary Collaborations: Comprehensive Mental Health Programming Across P-16 Education Systems

by Ian P. Levy (Editor), Sammy Steen (Editor)

Overview

Education professionals have consistently recognized the profound impact of mental health on students' learning and academic achievement. Numerous studies document how mental health influences PreK—16 outcomes, including graduation rates, academic performance, coursework completion, motivation, and emotional stability. These challenges are further complicated by the demands placed on the PreK—16 staff responsible for supporting student mental health. Often, these staff members themselves are at risk of experiencing high levels of stress and burnout due to the emotional and psychological toll of their roles.

Forging Interdisciplinary Collaborations explores a wide range of mental health issues affecting PreK—16 schools and highlights both successful and unsuccessful approaches taken by school districts, colleges, and universities to promote the emotional well—being of students and staff. Through a collection of chapters written by interdisciplinary professionals in education, the volume seeks to break down the silos within the field of education and foster collaboration on addressing student mental health through both preventative and responsive approaches. Each chapter offers practical recommendations for mental health practitioners, teachers, higher education faculty, parents, and students, providing concrete strategies to support mental health across all educational settings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781805921332
Publisher:	Emerald Publishing Limited
Publication date:	12/05/2025
Series:	Education Equity and Justice Series
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.93(d)

About the Author

Dr. Ian P. Levy is an Assistant Professor of School Counseling in the Educational Psychology Department at Rutgers University, USA.

Dr. Sam Steen holds the rank of Professor and is a licensed Professional School Counselor, the Director of the Diversity Research Action Consortium, and the Director of the Child, Family, Community Engagement Division at George Mason University, USA.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Forging Interdisciplinary Collaborations: Comprehensive Mental Health Programming Across P—16 Education Systems; Ian P. Levy and Sam Steen
Part 1. Mental Health Policy and Direct Services
Chapter 1. From Bandaids to Building Systems of Well—Being: Examining Educational Policy and Practice around School Mental Health; Duhita Mahatmya, Diane Reese, Elizabeth Levine Brown, Kathryn Watson, Erik Hines, and Sam Steen
Chapter 2. A UniversityPartnership Model for Equitable Mental Health Services in Public Schools; Victor Villarreal, Jeremy Sullivan, Felicia Castro—Villarreal, John Davis, and Alan Meca
Chapter 3. Exploring Individual School—based Mental Health Direct Services in PreK—16 Settings; Tamara K. Lawson and Isis Burks
Chapter 4. Applying the Multidimensional Model of Broaching Behavior to Group Counseling in Schools; Michelle Muratori, Normal L. Day—Vines, and Sam Steen
Part 2. Fostering Collaborative Educational Environments
Chapter 5. Reimagining School Spaces: The Post—Pandemic Classroom and Design Principles; Edmund Adjapong and Christopher Emdin
Chapter 6. Parent Engagement to Promote Student Wellness; LaChan Hannon and Michael Hannon 
Chapter 7. A School—Family—Community Approach to Addressing Mental Health for Black Families in Rural Communities; Dana Griffin 
Chapter 8. Whose 'Best Practices'?: A Community—Engaged and Applied Research Framework Centering Community Experiences; Charlene E. Holkenbrink—Monk and Shine Kim
Chapter 9. Dismantling the Stigma: The Role of School Counselor Leadership and Advocacy in Eradicating Mental Health Stigma; Janice A. Byrd—Badjie, Paris C. Pruitt, Deepika Raju Nantha Kumar, and Ravza Nur Aksoy Ere
Chapter 10. Educational Environments for Student Wellness: Supporting Student’s Mental Health by Developing Positive School and Classroom Cultures with Forgiveness and Healing; Niani Smith and Crystal D. Dorn 
Chapter 11. Deactivating Survival Mode: How to Cultivate Campus Environments that Support the Psychological Thriving of Students of Color; Angel M. Jones and Mahogany Persip
Part 3. Evaluating Mental Health Programming
Chapter 12. Program Evaluation: A Culturally Sustaining Approach for School and Clinical Counseling Programs; Jordon J. Beasley 
Chapter 13. A Comparative Analysis of the Pandemic Challenges Encountered by Black High School Academy Learners and Their Non—Academy Peers; Edward C. Fletcher Jr., Amber D. Dumford, Kamontá Heidelberg, Bo Hyun Lee, Erik M. Hines, and Renae D. Mayes.
Conclusion; Sam Steen and Ian P. Levy