Collaboration With Community Mental Health Service Providers

Schools have played an increasingly central role in providing mental health services to youth, but there are limitations to the services that are available through school-based mental health professionals. Thus, collaboration with non-school-based community mental health providers is oftentimes necessary. As collaboration can address limitations of school-based services and enhance and complement school-based services, it has been identified as best practice in comprehensive mental health service delivery. This collaboration column provides a brief review that highlights the critical opportunities for collaboration between school- and non-school-based professionals. Potential barriers to effective collaboration are also discussed, and strategies are introduced to overcome these barriers in order to provide effective and complementary mental health services to students in need.