MI SCHOOL THERAPIST

MI SCHOOL THERAPIST seeks to address and alleviate the mental health crisis in youth by partnering with schools to provide clinicians within the school community to educate, intervene and support students during the school day. 

​

With the increased prevalence among youth ages 12-18, the need for accessible mental health services has become an imperative and can be no longer optional. A recent study states that “Mental health and suicide ideation or actions among young people is a severe and growing problem in the United States. Poor mental health is associated with a host of health risks, both during adolescence and into adulthood. It can lead to risky sexual behavior, illicit substance use, unintended pregnancy, school absence and dropout, and other potentially life-long health problems.” (Control, Centers for Disease, 2020)

​

Additionally, a significant number of children in American society are exposed to traumatic life events. A traumatic event is one that threatens injury, death, or the physical integrity of self or others and also causes horror, terror, or helplessness at the time it occurs. Traumatic events include sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, community and school violence, medical trauma, motor vehicle accidents, acts of terrorism, war experiences, natural and human-made disasters, suicides, and other traumatic losses. In community samples, more than two thirds of children report experiencing a traumatic event by age 16. (American Psychological Association, 2011). Furthermore, the United States is a highly diverse society comprising many different racial and ethnic groups. There is no doubt that because of poverty and discrimination, racial and ethnic minority youth and families are more likely to be subjected to traumatic events, and immigrant youth and families may be particularly at risk. Cultural context and background, as well as membership in a minority group, will affect how individuals perceive a traumatic event and its impact and how the community can assist in recovery. 

​