Table 1.
Crosswalk of SMH professional standards with clinical competencies needed to implement the key features of comprehensive SMH systems
| Key features of comprehensive SMH systems | Aligned SMH professional competencies | School counseling | School nursing | School psychology | School social work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Well-Trained Specialized Instructional Support Personnel: Comprehensive SMH systems must be adequately staffed with personnel trained to provide assessment, diagnosis, counseling, education, therapy, and other necessary mental health services | a. Conduct and interpret mental health assessments | X | Standard 1 | Domain 1 | Standard 3 |
| b. Identify mental health disabilities | X | Standard 2 | Domain 4 (4th Practice) | Core Areas (6th Area) | |
| c. Provide mental health counseling | B-SS 3 | Standard 5 (11th Competency) | Domain 4 (2nd Practice) | Guiding Principle 3: Tier 2 | |
| d. Provide mental health education | B-SS 5.b | Standard 5B | Domain 4 (1st Practice) | Standard 10 | |
| e. Provide mental health therapy | X | X | Standard II.3.12 | Guiding Principle 3: Tier 3 | |
| Family–School–Community Collaboration: Comprehensive SMH systems create intentional structures to meaningfully involve students, families, and community partners in the provision of mental health care | a. Collaborate with students and families | B-SS 6 | Standard 5 (1st Competency) | Domain 7 (6th & 7th Practices) | Guiding Principle 2 |
| b. Collaborate with community providers and partners | B-SS 6 | Standard 18 (5th Competency) | Domain 4 (9th Practice) | Standard 10 | |
| Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping: Comprehensive SMH systems strategically assess SMH needs and systematically identify available resources for the provision of mental health services | a. Conduct mental health needs assessments | B-PF 9.b | Standard 18 (8th Competency) | Domain 5 (4th Practice) | Standard 3 |
| b. Conduct mental health resource mapping | B-SS 4 | Standard 16 | Domain 6 (2nd Practice) | Guiding Principle 2 | |
| Multitiered System of Support (MTSS): Comprehensive SMH systems ensure all students have access to a full array of layered supports, including universal promotion supports (e.g., schoolwide programming: Tier 1), targeted programs (e.g., early intervention or brief individualized interventions: Tier 2), and treatment services (e.g., individualized therapy for significant distress and functional impairment: Tier 3). Professional development and support for staff as well as family–school–community partnerships are foundational elements of MTSS | a. Facilitate an MTSS approach for supporting mental health | X | Standard 4 (3rd–6th Competencies) | Domain 5 (8th Practice) | Guiding Principle 3 |
| b. Provide mental health professional development for staff | B-SS 5.d | Standard 5B (9th Competency) | Domain 5 (2nd Practice) | Standard 10 | |
| c. Establish and maintain family–school–community partnerships | B-SS 6.a | Standard 10 | Domain 7 (2nd Practice) | Standard 10 | |
| d. Facilitate Tier 1 universal mental health promotion supports | B-PF 9.a | Standard 5B | Domain 6. (6th Practice) | Guiding Principle 3: Tier 1 | |
| e. Provide Tier 2 targeted supports and early intervention services | B-SS 3.b | Standard 5 (10th–12th Competencies) | Domain 6. (5th Practice) | Guiding Principle 3: Tier 2 | |
| f. Provide Tier 3 individualized intervention and treatment services | X | Standard 4 (1st Competency) | Domain 4 (2nd Practice) | Guiding Principle 3: Tier 3 | |
| Mental Health Screening: Comprehensive SMH systems use evidence-based processes and psychometrically validated screening tools to systematically identify students in need of additional mental health supports | a. Conduct mental health screening | X | X | Domain 5 (7th Practice) | Standard 3 |
| Evidence-Based and Emerging Best Practices: Comprehensive SMH systems select and use mental health prevention and interventions strategies that are research-supported and consistent with best practices | a. Use evidence-based and emerging best practices | B-PF 1.c | Standard 13 | Domain 9 | Standard 4 |
| Data: Comprehensive SMH systems use data to plan, monitor, and document the impact of mental health supports and services | a. Systematically track and monitor mental health data outcomes | B-SS 1.h | Standard 3 | Domain 4 (8th Practice) | Standard 5 |
| b. Use and create data systems to facilitate SMH data collection | B-PA 2 | Standard 1 (1st Competency) | Domain 1 (7th Practices) | Standard 3 | |
| c. Use data-driven decision-making to inform SMH planning | B-PA 3 | Standard 6 | Domain 1 (4th Practice) | Standard 5 | |
| Cultural Responsiveness and Equity: All components of comprehensive SMH systems consider and are responsive to the specific cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors of families and communities. Comprehensive SMH systems ensure access to mental health supports and services in a manner that is equitable and reduces disparities across all students | a. Engage in culturally responsive mental health practices | B-PF 6 | Standard 8 | Domain 8 (3rd Practice) | Standard 9 |
| b. Ensure SMH practices are equitable and reduce disparities | B-PA 2 | Standard 8 (11th–12th Competencies) | Domain 8 (9th Practice) | Standard 11 |
SMH school mental health. Examples of professional and ethical standards that reflect the clinical competencies needed to implement the key features of comprehensive SMH systems are presented for each SMH profession. Competencies that were not reflected in professional standards documents are denoted by “X.” The example standards reference: ASCA (2019; school counseling); ANA and NASN (2017; school nursing); NASP (2020; school psychology); and NASW (2012; n.d.; school social work)