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2018). Emphasizing the trends
noted in this study of a single
...more whole-school mental school district and considering
how this information could
health support must be lead to improvements in other

available as teachers cannot districts promise to enlighten
perceptions about the nature
address this issue in isolation. of mental health issues in the
school-age population at large
and allow for progress.

Limitations of the Study and Future Research
This study encompassed some limitations while yielding valuable information
for the studied district. Replication of the research by other districts is possible, but
these results focus on the one studied school district, thereby limiting generalizability.
Other limitations may include the number of years identified for research purposes.
Analysis consisted of the 5 consecutive school years beginning on August 1,
2015, through May 27, 2020. These school years included a 3-month period of
the COVID-19 pandemic in which the district moved to fully online learning in
March of 2020, possibly impacting the results. Teachers continued to make mental
health referrals during that time as the district already provided online mental health
services. Future research should be completed to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on
the district’s mental health referrals. The selection of the studied years from 2015–
2016 to 2019–2020 limited the larger picture obtained by expanding the years but
focused on the years just after the passage of ESSA and the advent of the COVID-19
pandemic with its early move to complete online learning. The information obtained
was limited to the referrals typically completed by school counselors with input from
classroom teachers. Finally, all students possibly needing mental health support but
not referred were potentially missing from this analysis.

Summary
Mental health issues among school-age students continue to be of concern
across the United States as the numbers of school shootings and of child suicides
continue to climb. Legislation surrounding this
need mandates school responses for students
with an identified disability and their general
education peers. Schools can provide mental
health support through social-emotional Mental health issues among
learning opportunities that emphasize skills school-age students continue to
such as (a) self-awareness of the impact of
one’s own behavior, (b) self-management, (c) be of concern across the United
self-awareness, (d) relationship skills, and (e)
responsible decision making (CASEL, 2023). States as the numbers of school
as well as through school-based mental health shootings and child suicides
and preventative measures for mental health
needs. continue to climb.
This study analyzed 831 school-based
mental health referrals using a descriptive,
quantitative design. The historical data from

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