New Funding Opportunity for Research on Fostering Behavioral Health Among Children in School

September 1, 2022

Beda Jean-Francois, Ph.D.

Improving the mental and emotional health of children and youth is a top public health priority in the United States. As President Joe Biden emphasized in hisState of the Union messagein March, youth have been particularly affected by the losses from COVID-19 and the disruptions in routines and relationships associated with the pandemic. And even before the pandemic, many young people struggled with serious mental health issues such as depressive symptoms and thoughts of suicide. Youth from populations that experience health disparities are having a particularly difficult time, both because they are exposed to stressors such as poverty and discrimination and because they have less access to mental health services.

One important way to promote better mental, emotional, and behavioral health in children and youth is by developing effective school-based interventions. Schools have increasingly become key access points for mental health services for youth, and they can reach children at different developmental stages.