(Download) "Low-Income African-American Caregivers' Experiences of Being Referred to Mental Health Services by the School Counselor: Implications for Best Practices (Report)" by Professional School Counseling " eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Low-Income African-American Caregivers' Experiences of Being Referred to Mental Health Services by the School Counselor: Implications for Best Practices (Report)
- Author : Professional School Counseling
- Release Date : January 01, 2009
- Genre: Family & Relationships,Books,Nonfiction,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 310 KB
Description
Referring students for mental health care is a core job function for school counselors, and one that is often stressful for all parties involved. In this phenomenological study, six low-income African-American caregivers were interviewed about their experiences of having a son or grandson referred for mental health care by the school counselor. Issues of how the participants viewed the school, mental health care, and the process of being referred were explored. Key findings include the caregivers' experiences of alienation in the face of a rigid system for parent involvement in educational decision making, caregivers' perceived lack of power, and caregivers' lack of understanding of school administrative processes. Recommendations for school counseling practice are given, along with suggestions for school counselor education. Referring children who are experiencing behavioral problems at school to mental health care providers is a key aspect of the professional school counselor's job (Baker, 1996; Erford, 2003; Ritchie & Partin, 1994). The referral process is often highly charged emotionally for all stakeholders (Arcia, Fernandez, Marisela, Castillo, & Ruiz, 2004; French, Reardon, & Smith, 2003). These referrals can be the turning point for a student accessing needed resources (Bussing, Zima, Gary, & Garvan, 2003). Students who are in need of mental health care and are not receiving it are not likely to perform well academically, and they may be disruptive to the learning environment for others (Arcia et al.; Bussing et al.; Chow, Jaffee, & Snowden, 2003). The research on the process that low-income families experience between initial referral for and entry into mental health services suggests that there is often a long delay between the two (Arcia et al.; Bussing et al.; Chow et al.; French et al.; Huang et al., 2005; McKay, Lynn, & Bannon, 2005). During this delay, children's problems often worsen, and parents feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the time they reach a clinic (Arcia et al.).