8Twenty percent of children and adolescents have a mental health disorder and in five percent, the disorder is severe. Chances are that every classroom in America will have at least one student who has a mental health disorder, possibly even in the severe range. These students often have symptoms that interfere with their ability to learn. Educators are recognizing the importance of comprehensive approaches to student mental health.

William Dikel, MD, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, provides a comprehensive, educator-focused guide to student mental health. This practical book provides essential information on how mental health disorders are diagnosed and treated, how they tend to manifest at school, how they affect students' emotions, behaviors, and ability to learn, and the types of interventions that are most successful. Educators will learn the importance of creating a district mental health plan that clearly defines the roles of teachers, mental health staff, administrators and others, with the goal of establishing a seamless system of coordinated professionals all working to meet students' needs. The book profiles successful school-linked mental health programs that build bridges to community mental health services while maintaining legal and financial firewalls that protect school districts. This new edition contains additional topics including evidence-based teaching methods, school mental health law, mental health data practices, substance use, funding opportunities and school violence including school shootings.