"Too few children in California have access to mental health care services. For school-aged children, locating services at school is effective and efficient: school-based health systems meet students where they are, eliminate transportation barriers, and improve both health and education outcomes. Yet few schools in the state are fully equipped to serve students' mental health needs. California should support a system of school-based mental health care with clear goals and accountability measures to improve student access. This brief identifies the need for mental health care for school-aged children in California, reviews the benefits of providing mental health support and services in schools, and makes key recommendations for State consideration that would remove barriers to school-based mental health. A comprehensive plan for student mental health should combine policies that: fund school and district staff, create an integrated education and health state-level agency, and incentivize local collaboration between counties and school districts. This report recommends the following: (1) Incentivize local coordination and support data sharing infrastructure; (2) Fund school pilot projects and Local Education Agency (LEA) coordinators with local control; and (3) Create a state-level Office of School-Based Health to establish goals and oversee Medi-Cal billing."

"As teachers and administrators focus increasing attention on the mental health needs of students, researchers are exploring ways that addressing social-emotional needs is essential to academic growth as well as personal wellness. This descriptive investigation explored ways that seventh and eighth grade students perceived their social-emotional development in a school context in which teachers integrated social and emotional learning (SEL) with academics. An English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and a team of university researchers observed students during lessons, gathered work samples, and interviewed students across a school year. Intensive case studies with ten students provided descriptions of the types of connections students made with their learning experiences and ways these connections varied. Participants made visible connections with teachers on a personal level. They connected with peers spontaneously and reflected on peer relationships to varying levels. Reflecting on these social connections helped develop self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills. Reflections also enabled participants to connect interests, engagement, and accomplishment to varying extents, enhancing capacities for self-management and responsible decision-making. Results suggest that emphasizing the process of reflection in reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and electives may be a powerful way to enhance social and emotional learning in the flow of classroom events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"