Meeting the Mental Health and Behavioral Needs of Children and Youth in Rural Foster Care: The Role of Schools

Children and youth in foster care and their caregivers often experience mental health challenges. Rural settings introduce barriers that prevent these youth from accessing such services. Nevertheless, rural area school personnel, and particularly special educators, are positioned to help improve access to mental health services for foster care students, who often qualify for special education services. In this article, we explore ways school personnel can support this vulnerable population through psychoeducation, mental health screenings and referrals, evidence-based therapies (EBTs), and supportive infrastructure to help students and their foster families access mental health services through schools. With such services, school personnel can help these students improve stability within home life, increase positive life-long outcomes for school performance, decrease incarceration, and reduce drug and alcohol abuse.