School Violence & Mental Health

The Role of Mental Health in Schools - Preventing Violence

After the Franklin Regional Senior High School tragic stabbings, mental health was at the forefront of the coverage. In recent years, funding cuts throughout all over the country caused drastic reductions in counselors, social workers and psychologist. Officials say that access to mental health services is key to helping students find alternatives to violence.

"We're 15 years after Columbine, and you'd have thought we would have solved that problem," said John Matthews, executive director of the Texas-based Community Safety Institute

The President of the American Counseling Association, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, was interviewed for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was interviewed.

"Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji agreed that more training and consultation with mental health professions is needed for classroom teachers. In addition, she said, counselors, social workers and school psychologists should be given time to walk the halls of schools and develop relationships with students and their families."

The full article can be found here:

Measures to prevent violence in schools fall short, experts say By Mary Niederberger, Rich Lord and Joe Smydo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette