Systemic inequity in education compels school counselors to widen their scope of advocacy beyond their local school environment. Fortunately, the tools of evidence-based, data-driven school counseling can be scaled up to influence change in larger systems. We present an advocacy project undertaken by an elementary school counselor who was alarmed by a significant increase in children’s mental health concerns. She initiated a state-wide survey of school counselors that revealed a dire need for mental health support at the elementary level. Using an ecological framework, we report on the data-driven advocacy actions she pursued to raise awareness of the serious concerns of young students across her state.
AbebeT.BiswasT. (2021). Rights in education: Outlines for a decolonial, childist reimagination of the future – commentary to Ansell and colleagues. Fennia: International Journal of Geography, 199(1), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.107490.
2.
American School Counselor Association (2003). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs. Author.
3.
American School Counselor Association (2019). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Author.
AraújoL. A.VelosoC. F.SouzaM. C.AzevedoJ. M. C.TarroG. (2021 Jul–Aug). The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child growth and development: A systematic review. Jornal de Pediatria, 97(4), 369–377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2020.08.008.
6.
BeckM. J.LaneE. M. D. (2019). Exploring effective practitioner advocacy: A study of ASCA’s school counselor of the year finalists. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 6(2), 174–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716X.2019.1601602.
7.
BitskoR. H.HolbrookJ. R.GhandourR. M.BlumbergS. J.VisserS. N.PerouR.WalkupJ. T. (2018). Epidemiology and impact of health care provider-diagnosed anxiety and depression among US children. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 39(5), 395–403. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000571.
8.
BradburyH. (Ed.), (2015). The Sage handbook of action research. Sage.
9.
BradburyH.LewisR.EmburyD. C. (2019). Education action research: With and for the next generation. In MertlerC. A. (Ed.), The Wiley handbook of action research in education (pp. 1–28). Wiley.
10.
CarlsonL.KeesN. (2013). Mental health services in public schools: A preliminary study of school counselor perceptions. Professional School Counseling, 16(4), 211–221. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X12016002S03.
CigrandD. L.HavlikS. G.MalottK. M.JonesS. G. (2015). School counselors united in professional advocacy: A systems model. Journal of School Counseling, 13(8). http://www.jsc.montana.edu/articles/v13n8.pdf.
14.
ClemensE.ShippA.KimbelT. (2011). Investigating the psychometric properties of school counselor self-advocacy questionnaire. Professional School Counseling, 15(1), 34–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X1101500101.
15.
CurtinS. C. (2020). State suicide rates among adolescents and young adults aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2018. National Vital Statistics Reports, 69(11). https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/93667.
16.
DeKruyfL.AugerR.Trice-BlackS. (2013). The role of school counselors in meeting students’ mental health needs: Examining issues of professional identity. Professional School Counseling, 16(5), 271–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X0001600502.
17.
DimmittC. (2018 March). Name inequities and create meaningful change: Evidence-based school counseling and social justice [Keynote address]. Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference.
18.
DimmittC.ZyromskiB. (2020). Evidence-based school counseling: Expanding the existing paradigm. Professional School Counseling, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X20904501.
19.
DimmittC. L.CareyJ. C.HatchT. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling: Making a difference with data-driven practices. Corwin.
20.
ErnstK.BardhoshiG.LanthierR. P. (2017). Self-efficacy, attachment style and service delivery of elementary school counseling. The Professional Counselor, 7(2), 129–143. https://doi:10.15241/ke.7.2.129.
21.
GalloL. L.RauschM. A.BeckM. J.PorchiaS. (2021). Elementary school counselors’ experiences with suicidal students. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 7(1), 26–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2020.1835419.
22.
Goodman-ScottE.Betters-BubonJ.DonohueP. (eds), (2019). The school counselor’s guide to multi-tiered systems of support. Routledge.
23.
GranelloP. F.ZyromskiB. (2018). Developing a comprehensive school suicide prevention program. Professional School Counseling, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X18808128.
24.
HatchT. A. (2008). Professional challenges in school counseling: Organizational, institutional, and political. Journal of School Counseling, 6(22). http://www.jsc.montana.edu/articles/v6n22.pdf.
25.
HavlikS.DeRosatoM.CrawfordE. (2019). If we don’t define our roles, someone else will: Professional advocacy in school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X19848331.
26.
HavlikS. A.MalottK.YeeT.DeRosatoM.CrawfordE. (2019). School counselor training in professional advocacy: The role of the counselor educator. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 6(1), 71–85. http://doi.org/10.1080/2326716X.2018.1564710.
27.
HeiseB.YorkA.ThatcherB. (2016). Child suicide screening methods: Are we asking the right questions? A review of the literature and recommendations for practice. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 12(6), 410–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.01.003.
28.
HolbrookJ. R.BitskoR. H.DanielsonM. L.VisserS. N. (2017). Interpreting the prevalence of mental disorders in children. Health Promotion Practice, 18(1), 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839916677730.
KaffenbergerC. (2012). Associate editor’s note: A call for school counseling practitioner research. Professional School Counseling, 16(1), 59–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X1201600107.
31.
LambieG. W.Stickl HaugenJ.BorlandJ. R.CampbellL. O. (2019). Who took “counseling” out of the role of professional school counselors in the United States?Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation, 1(3), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.25774/7kjb-bt85.
32.
MannA.WhitakerA.Torres-GullienS.MortonM.JordanH.CoyleS.SunW.L. (2018). Cops and no counselors: How the lack of school mental health staff is harming students. https://www.aclu.org/report/cops-and-no-counselors.
33.
Marques de MirandaD.da Silva AthanasioB.Sena OliveiraA. C.Simoes-e-SilvaA. C. (2020). How is COVID-19 pandemic impacting mental health of children and adolescents?International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51, 101845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101845.
34.
MasonE. C. M.SpringerS. I.PuglieseA. (2017). Staff development as a school climate intervention to support transgender and gender nonconforming students: An integrated research partnership model for school counselors and counselor educators. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 11(4), 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2017.1380552.
McMahonH. G.MasonE. C. M.Daluga-GuentherN.RuizA. (2014). An ecological model of professional school counseling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(4), 459–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00172.x.
37.
MillerD. N. (2018). Suicidal behavior in children: Issues and implications for elementary schools. Contemporary School Psychology, 23(4), 357–366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-018-0203-0.
38.
MilsomA.RobinsonE.MannS.RumseyA. D. (2020). Elementary school counselor experiences teaching lessons on a related arts schedule. Professional School Counseling, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X20970497.
39.
OehrtmanJ. P.DollarhideC. T. (2021). Advocacy without adversity: Developing an understanding of micropolitical theory to promote a comprehensive school counseling program. Professional School Counseling, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X211006623.
40.
O’SullivanK.ClarkS.McGraneA.RockN.BurkeL.BoyleN.JoksimovicN.MarshallK. (2021). A qualitative study of child and adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 1062. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031062.
41.
PerryJ.ParikhS.VazquezM.SaundersR.BolinS. (2020). School counselor self-efficacy in advocating for self: How prepared are we?Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 13(4). https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol13/iss4/5.
42.
RattsM. J.GreenleafA. T. (2018). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies: A leadership framework for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 21(1b). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X18773582.
43.
Savitz-RomerM.Rowan-KenyonH. T.NicolaT. P.AlexanderE.CarrollS. (2021). When the kids are not alright: School counseling in the time of COVID-19. AERA Open, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211033600.
44.
SchiroT. (2020). A culture of caring: A suicide prevention guide for schools (K–12). Rowman & Littlefield.
45.
SheftallA. H.AstiL.HorowitzL. M.FeltsA.FontanellaC. A.CampoJ. V.BridgeJ. A. (2016). Suicide in elementary school-aged children and early adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(4), e20160436. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-0436.
46.
SingerJ. B.ErbacherT. A.RosenP. (2019). School-based suicide prevention: A framework for evidence-based practice. School Mental Health, 11(1), 54–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-9245-8.
47.
SwickD.PowersJ. D. (2018). Increasing access to care by delivering mental health services in schools: The school-based support program. School Community Journal, 28(1), 129–144.
48.
TrustyJ.BrownD. (2005). Advocacy competencies for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 8(3), 259–265.
49.
U.S. Department of Education (2020). State nonfiscal public elementary/secondary education survey, 2019-20 v.1a. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/CCD/ELSI/.
WilderC. (2019). Promoting the role of the school counselor. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory & Research, 45(2), 60–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/15566382.2019.1646085.
53.
ZyromskiB.GriffithC.ChoiJ. (2021). Embracing school counselors’ situatedness: Data-based decision making as fulfillment of a complex identity. Professional School Counseling, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X211011922.
54.
ZyromskiB.MarianiM. A. (2016). Facilitating evidence-based, data-driven school counseling: A manual for practice. Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506334462.
