No Child Overlooked: Mental Health Triage in the Schools

Mental health problems among children in schools are on the increase. To exercise due diligence in their responsibility to monitor and promote mental health among our nation’s children, school counselors may learn from triage systems employed in hospitals, clinics, and mental health centers. The School Counselor’s Triage Model provides school counselors with an easy-to-use, time efficient assessment tool to enable them to screen large groups of students to determine their mental health needs. By engaging in systematic mental health screening, school counselors can efficiently and effectively demonstrate their commitment to a core value of school counseling: addressing every child’s social-emotional needs.