 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Schools: A Tiered Approach to Youth Mental Health Services In recent years, many U.S. schools have implemented tiered models of support to address a range of student needs, both academic and behavioral, while cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has simultaneously gained popularity as an effective means of supporting the mental health needs of students. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Schools provides school-based practitioners with the necessary skills to determine students' mental health needs; establish a tiered, CBT-based system of supports; select appropriate programs at Tiers 1, 2, and 3; deliver CBT using various formats to students who are at risk or demonstrating problems; progress monitor multiple tiers of service; and work collaboratively with teachers, administrators, and families. Linda M. Raffaele Mendez, PhD, is a core faculty member in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida. She has over 25 years of experience in school-based mental health. At USF, she teaches courses in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Youth, Assessment of Child and Adolescent Behavior, Behavior Disorders, and Biological Bases of Behavior. She also supervises doctoral students in conducting CBT in schools. Her research is focused on understanding and supporting the educational and mental health needs of vulnerable and at-risk youth within an ecological perspective. |
