What is a School Psychologist or Mental Health Specialist?

School Psychologists and MHSs help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community for all students.

School Psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education, completing a minimum of a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) that includes a year-long supervised internship. This training emphasizes preparation in mental health and educational interventions, child development, learning, behavior, motivation, curriculum and instruction, assessment, consultation, collaboration, school law, and systems. School Psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB). The National Association of School Psychologists sets ethical and training standards for practice and service delivery.

MHSs also hold at least a master's degree, usually in counseling or a related field. In Alief, our Mental Health Specialists are either Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW).

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Mental Health Awareness Week

May 15-21 2023

Mental Health Awareness 2023

Since 1949, Mental Health America and our affiliates across the country have led the observance of May is Mental Health Month by reaching millions of people through the media, local events and screenings. We welcome other organizations to join us in spreading the word that mental health is something everyone should care about by using the May is Mental Health Month toolkit materials and conducting awareness activities.

While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The stigma around mental health and treatment has long existed, even though this has started to change. Still, people hesitate to seek help or even talk about it with their loved ones for fear of being judged and facing unnecessary backlash. Simple logic dictates that if we are hurt anywhere, we must seek treatment to get better. This applies to both our mental- and physical well-being. While Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated in the U.S., a more universal day is also celebrated by the WHO on October 10, and it is known as World Mental Health Day.

For Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, we will look at how anxiety can affect people living with severe mental illness, what external factors can trigger this strong response, and what we can do to support our peers.

Everyone can feel anxious. But when you live with severe mental illness, anxiety can reach a whole new level. Stigma. Discrimination. Lack of support. Side effects of medication. Mania. Psychosis. Limited access to housing, employment, and welfare. These are all unique anxieties, faced on a daily basis by those of us experiencing mental illness.

But is that something you hear about often in today’s society? No.

This year, for Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to change that. Although some people may find it useful, we’re fed up with being told to have a bath or light a scented candle. The world is different if you experience a mental illness. It’s time for people to truly understand what it is like to live in our shoes. It’s time for a society that truly cares for people living with mental illness.

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