Grantee Publication: Connecticut School Based Health Centers Engage Adolescent African-American and Latino Males in Mental Health Services

Executive Summary

African-American and Latino males are half as likely to receive mental health services compared to non- Hispanic White youth, yet both groups experience emotional and behavioral problems that often result in school and social issues. It is important to understand how African-American and Latino young men perceive and experience available mental health services, particularly services offered through School Based Health Centers (SBHC), as SBHCs are generally more accessible to adolescents than community-based services. This issue brief describes the factors that contribute to effective utilization of mental health services in Connecticut’s SBHCs by adolescent African-American and Latino male students, and examines the ability of SBHCs and their staff to engage this population.

Authors

This brief was prepared by the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers, Inc., in partnership with the University of Connecticut School of Nursing and the Institute for Community Research, and was funded with the generous support of the Connecticut Health Foundation and the Perrin Family Foundation. This brief is dedicated to Marlene Berg.