Developing Optimized School-Based Mental Health Interventions: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Priorities and Opportunities

Abstract The current youth mental health crisis has highlighted a substantial unmet need for effective, accessible, culturally sensitive mental health services and interventions. Schools have the potential to address this gap through the provision of evidence-based mental health interventions and services that meet the needs of their diverse student bodies. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supports school mental health research that relies on partnerships between academic researchers and school communities to develop optimized interventions that bridge the research-to-practice gap. This article highlights current NIMH priorities in school mental health research and provides additional context for recent federal investments targeting the expansion of school-based mental health infrastructure and interventions.