School counseling prevention programming to address social determinants of mental health

Abstract

Social determinants of mental health (SDOMH) are conditions in which students live that significantly contribute to their mental health challenges. School counselors can utilize the Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) theoretical lens as a liberation approach to strengthening students’ capacity to overcome persistent adversity while addressing root causes of systemic oppression through policy change and advocacy at the school, community, and national levels. School counselors can use increased personal awareness of the oppressive nature of SDOMH and the bidirectional approach offered by ASE to influence systems and students through preventative programming and proactive advocacy to affect institutional change. This study provides school counselors with an overview of ASE as a theoretical foundation for addressing SDOMH in schools.