The Role of School Counselor is Evolving

The profession of school counseling has changed over time.

Industrial Revolution

School counselors emerged from the needs created by the Industrial Revolution.

Vocational guidance in schools became critical to help students transition from school to work.

Career-College-Academics-Social Personal-Social-Data Based

Carl Rogers and the American School Counselor Association encouraged new roles for the field.

School counselors incorporate career exploration, college preparedness, social emotional learning, short-term counseling, and identifying the gaps in education that create barriers to students learning (Dekruyf et al., 2013).

Short-term Solution- Focused Counseling

School counselors wear two hats, one for college and career, and one for mental health counseling and crisis intervention. However, school counselors may not be regarded as mental health professionals by administrators, teachers, or parents, and their caseload size often prevents regular counseling interventions for students in need.

As DeKruyf and colleagues (2013) noted, “in buildings where school counselors are overwhelmed with scheduling or non-counseling duties, schools are not benefitting from the work that could be provided by a master’s level mental health professional who is already on site” (Dekruyf et al., 2013).

Considering the increase in mental health concerns among youth, there is a critical need for students to have mental health services that are easily accessed at school. Although school counselors are professionals with the training to support students’ mental health needs in the school context, they are often inaccessible to students due to their role as advisors and program managers (Lambie et al., 2019).

Many are proposing that school counselors wear one hat containing two purposes: Educational Leader and Mental Health Professional (Dekruyf et al., 2013).

According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data, mental health is a growing problem (Mental Health | Adolescent and School Health | CDC, 2021):

More than 1 in 3 high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, a 40 percent increase since 2009.
In 2019, approximately 1 in 6 youth reported making a suicide plan in the past year, a 44% increase since 2009.

Educational Leader and Mental Health Professional

The following reasons support combining the roles of Educational Leader and Mental Health Professional (Comprehensive School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Services and School Psychologists, 2021):

One in five children and adolescents experience a mental health problem during their school years.
Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self-harm behaviors and suicide ideation, are on the rise, specifically among youth.
Many students do not receive the help they need. For example, among the 3.8 million adolescents who reported a major depressive episode last year, nearly 60% did not receive treatment. 2/3 of the students who do get help, do so only in schools.
School based mental health professionals reduce the stigma associated with receiving mental health counseling by making it part of the school system, and addresses the inequities of access by low income and minoritized families and youth.
Students with mental health needs are often referred to professionals outside of the school setting. Families, however, are not always willing or able to follow through on referrals for counseling, creating a gap between students who are referred for services and students who actually receive services.

Schools are ideal place to provide mental health support.

Managing mental health is necessary for children to be successful in school. Schools are the ideal place based on the following (Comprehensive School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Services and School Psychologists, 2021):

School-employed mental health professionals know the students and their parents and have regular communication which contributes to accessibility of services.
school counselors have constant access to students—and vice versa.
Mental health services provided by those who are trained to work within the school culture and promote learning are more effective in providing mental health support to students.
Comprehensive school mental health services facilitate the connections and ongoing relationships with students to create safety in schools.
Researchers report that the provision of mental health services for children and adolescents within their schools can improve the academic and personal/ social success of students.

School counselors have an intimate understanding of school systems (Lambie et al., 2019):

School counselors know students and parents.
They can problem-solve with teachers and administration.
School counselors have consistent access to students.
There is a need to re-examine the role of school counselors as mental health professionals who are positioned and accessible to meet students’ mental health needs.

School counselors are on the frontlines and many scholars have called for the need to recognize school counselors’ role in providing mental health services to youth (Lambie et al., 2019).

NAMI is an Advocate

NAMI supports public policies and laws that enable all schools, public and private, to increase access to appropriate mental health services (Mental Health in Schools | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2022):

Many mental health conditions first appear in youth and young adults, with 50% of all conditions beginning by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
One in six youth have a mental health condition, like anxiety or depression, but only half receive any mental health services.
Early treatment is effective and can help young people stay in school and on track to achieving their life goals. In fact, the earlier the treatment, the better the outcomes and lower the costs.
Early identification and effective treatment for children and their families can make a difference in the lives of children with mental health conditions.
We must take steps that enable all schools to increase access to appropriate mental health services.
Policies should also consider reducing barriers to delivering mental health services in schools including difficulty with reimbursement, scaling effective treatments, and equitable access.

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