Handbook of Rural School Mental Health

This handbook offers a comprehensive overview of school mental health (SMH) initiatives in rural areas in the United States. It offers clinical and administrative guidelines for innovative and effective programs addressing critical problems among rural youth and in areas where funding and resources are scarce. Chapters cover program development, implementation, sustainability, and evaluation; consider issues of community and policy support; address barriers to access and delivery; and debunk misconceptions about the region and its cultures. Chapters also discuss rural SMH applications relating to special populations, including students with autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, conduct disorders, and ADHD.  In addition, the book examines the potential of school-based programs as a counter to the stigma and distrust of mental health services common to the region.

Kurt Michael is a Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University (ASU). He was trained at the University of Colorado - Boulder, Utah State University, and Duke University Medical Center. He teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels and supervises several clinical training sites in rural schools. His primary empirical interests are the development of effective school mental health (SMH) and suicide prevention programs in rural settings. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Child and Family Studies. He was also appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of Rural Mental Health. In addition to Dr. Michael’s teaching and research interests, he is a practicing Licensed Psychologist and in 2006, developed and implemented interdisciplinary SMH partnerships entitled the Assessment, Support, and Counseling (ASC) Centers in rural western North Carolina. The ASC Center was designed to serve children and families in North Carolina while at the same time, foster workforce development, which aligns well with ASU’s strategic mission to improve the health of North Carolinians and to have a sustained impact on the region, both economically and culturally. Dr. Michael was recently honored for his long-term commitment to North Carolina citizens as the 2014 Board of Governors recipient of the James E. Holshouser Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service. Dr. Michael consults with agencies on a national level regarding the development of crisis intervention and suicide prevention protocols for public school systems.

John Paul (JP) Jameson received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 with a focus in clinical/community psychology. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Appalachian State University and a practicing Licensed Psychologist. JP serves as editor of the International Journal of Mental Health Promotion and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Community Psychology. He directs the Alleghany County Assessment, Support, and Counselling (ASC) Center, a SMH program in western North Carolina. His primary research interests include rural mental health services, the dissemination and implementation of empirically supported treatments, and community-based suicide prevention. In addition to his academic work, he works with numerous organizations to address mental health and prevention issues in rural communities in several states.