OHIO professor edits special issue of 'School Mental Health'

The latest issue of School Mental Health brings together research, interventions and policy recommendations aimed at improving mental health support for students in schools. 

Dr. Julie Owens, a professor of in the Department of Psychology at OHIO and co-director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools, co-edited this issue along with Dr. Gwen Lawson from the University of Pennsylvania. It highlights the value of engaging in community-partnered research to improve children’s mental health.

“Schools are on the front lines,” Owens said. “They need practical, immediate solutions to support student well-being.”

The youth mental health crisis is growing, and schools face immense pressure to provide helpful supports.

“One in five students experience a mental health problem, but only about 20 percent of them get the services they need,” Owens said. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue, leaving educators and mental health professionals searching for scalable, effective interventions.

Owens explained the heart of the issue: “Although there are many interventions that work to improve children’s mental health, there are two limitations; they do not easily fit within the realities of a school day, and they do not adequately meet the needs of all students.” 

To bridge this gap, this issue of the journal focuses on leveraging research-practice partnerships, where educators, families and students collaborate with researchers to co-develop mental health interventions that better fit the needs of school-based providers and youth who have historically been under-represented in research.

“These partnerships ensure interventions are not only evidence-based but also feasible in real-world school settings,” Owens said.

Each study in the issue demonstrates how these collaborations work in practice. Researchers engage education partners, youth or families, at every step, from identifying problems to tailoring solutions.

“Some studies elevate the voices of those receiving services,” Owens said. “For example, Dr. Carrie Masia Warner and her team worked with Black youth experiencing social anxiety to explore how racial discrimination uniquely contributes to their challenges.”

The special issue includes studies that go beyond theory.

“Several studies worked with general education teachers to co-develop classroom interventions,” Owens said. In these studies, teachers tested the strategies, provided feedback and worked with researchers to refine them.

“The teachers share what fits their daily schedules and what works with their students.”

Another study created a club-like environment for Black adolescents instead of framing it as a mental health intervention.

"In that study the students provided feedback, sharing that early sessions focused on racial identity helped them connect with each other and normalize their experiences,” Owens said.

This step-by-step approach, shaped by participant feedback, makes interventions more acceptable, feasible and effective.

Schools face significant barriers to implementing mental health programs.

“Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations, and educators already have so many demands on their time.” Owens said.

Schools in rural and urban areas often lack the resources or infrastructure to sustain mental health services.

“The key is making interventions adaptable to different contexts,” Owens said. “We have to ensure they’re relevant to the social and cultural factors students face.”

The special issue also shows the role of policy in supporting school mental health. Contributions from program officers at the Institute of Education Sciences and the National Institute of Mental Health provide a broad framework for integrating these interventions into the education system.

“National funding is critical for promoting this work,” Owens said. “It helps us move from research to practice in ways that schools can sustain.”

Leaders in the field contributed commentary to the issue, offering insights into bridging the gap between research and practice. For example, in Dr. Aaron Lyon’s commentary he related his work in implementation science to the studies in the issue, Owens noted, and focused on strategies for closing this divide.

“Implementation science helps us focus on how to take what works and make it usable in real-world settings,” she said.

Making underrepresented voices heard is important in mental health research. One study engaged autistic students and their families in co-developing interventions, while another worked with educators in underserved rural communities to adapt programs.

“Partnering with youth, families and educators ensures these solutions meet their needs,” Owens said. “This is how we maximize outcomes.”

The work also reflects a shift in how mental health interventions are developed.

“We’re moving away from top-down approaches and toward meaningful collaboration where multiple voices are given equal value,” Owens explained. By involving educators, families and students from the start, researchers create programs that are not only effective but also sustainable.

Owens sees this as an important turning point.

“The best chance we have at improving outcomes is ensuring educators, mental health providers, and researchers work together,” she said. “This work is just the beginning. Together, we can ensure every student has access to the mental health support they need.”