How Schools Can Support Students with Mental Illness

Abstract

This project seeks to critically examine how schools can increase support of students with mental illness with the goal of increasing student achievement and success and minimizing rates of suicide. Given that suicide is the third leading cause of death of people under the age of twenty-five and that mental illness is the common precursor to this violent act, schools provide the best arena to prevent and treat students who are battling mental illness. The most significant question that this project seeks to answer is how can administrators, counselors, teachers, and students work together to identify and support students with mental illness in positive, proactive and effective ways.