Objective: Schools and school-based health centers (SBHCs) play an important role in reducing disparities in access to mental health treatment. However, there is a need to increase student engagement in school mental health services. This study sought to understand the perceptions of low-income minority youth on help-seeking and barriers to mental health services at SBHC sites.Design: Descriptive, qualitative study.Setting: A network of SBHCs, called Wellness Centers, developed as part of a strategic plan to serve students and community members in under-resourced areas of a large urban school district.Participants and Procedures: We conducted focus groups with 76 middle and high school students at nine SBHC sites through a community-academic partnered approach from January to May 2014. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and major themes coded with Atlas.ti.5.1.Results: Students identified teachers as a primary source of support for mental health issues, followed by peers and mental health counselors. Students felt that trust and connection were vital for help-seeking. Barriers to using SBHCs included: embarrassment; fear of judgment; concerns about confidentiality; a sense that they should keep things inside; and lack of awareness.Conclusions: Despite the resources available at SBHCs, students face barriers to help-seeking. SBHCs can help teachers and school staff gain awareness of mental health issues and services available to students. The students’ recommendations—making SBHCs more comfortable, raising mental health awareness, and bolstering connections with school and SBHC staff—may improve engagement in mental health services at schools with SBHCs. Ethn Dis. 2018;28(Suppl 2):437-444; doi:10.18865/ed.28.S2.437
An Innovative Approach to Care: Integrating Mental Health Services Through Telemedicine in Rural School-Based Health Centers
