Clinical Psychologist-In-Training’s First-Hand Account of Rural Mental Health in Schools
By Brianna Gill
Did you know that most school districts do not have clinical psychologists to work within their schools? While educational institutions employ school psychologists, whose focus is to address academic concerns, clinical psychologists can assess and diagnose mental health concerns. Clinical psychologists can perform psychodiagnostic assessments for various mental health disorders, provide therapy and resources for students in the school setting. I am a doctoral student under clinical training at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that partners with a middle school in a rural farming community.
As a clinical psychology doctoral student, I have noticed a clear demand for mental health professionals in rural communities. Rural communities consist of smaller populations, have limited healthcare services, and are further away from urban areas that provide specialty medical services. As mental health care is on the rise, a majority of psychologists are found in larger urban areas because of the relative access to a larger patient population. Individuals from rural communities often do not have equitable access to mental health care.
While working with middle school students, I have noticed many adolescents suffer from various mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD, but are unaware of how their symptoms can affect their overall well-being. Most of the time the parents of these students are also unaware of how to treat mental health concerns and simply encourage their children to pray, play outside, or go for a walk. While participating in these activities can be beneficial for mental health, it is important for these students to understand why they are facing these symptoms and how it can manifest into their daily lives. As students come to us with mental health concerns, we typically educate them on how these symptoms form, how they affect their mental health, and how it can also affect their behaviors and academic performance. We also educate students on coping skills and ways to manage their mental health while at school or home.
Working at a middle school also provided me with the opportunity to work with the school staff and academic counselors to understand the students' behavioral and cognitive functioning in their classes. By working together, academic counselors and psychologists can target areas for improvement, such as focus, attention, and disruptions. I have noticed many students are referred to therapy by their teachers and academic counselors for attention deficits and behavioral disruptions in class. During therapy, these students gain skills to improve their concentration and motivation for classes and exams.
Having a school-based program situated in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) or a rural health clinic (RHC) can be beneficial to students, parents, and teachers in rural communities. Most parents from rural communities have inflexible schedules with work, resulting in their need to be at work for long hours during the day and night. Since income is the main priority for families, it can be difficult for parents to take time off work to attend their children’s medical appointments. Similar to attending appointments, it can also be difficult for parents to stay attentive to their child’s academic performance or behaviors at school. Implementing therapy in school settings solves these concerns of parents needing to take time off work because the children can receive therapy during school.
After my experience working in a rural community, I have witnessed the benefits of therapy for individuals in these communities and I am even more motivated to pursue a career in this setting. Being able to see and hear how these individuals transform their mental health is a rewarding feeling and is a reminder of the impact we have on those seeking help from us. I am hopeful the demand for psychologists in rural communities will be fulfilled as more individuals complete their degrees and become licensed.
Brianna Gill is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PsyD program at Alliant International University, Fresno. As a child of immigrants, she grew up in a rural community in Central California. Her clinical training is supported by a Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that aims to grow psychology workforce in high-need, high-demand areas.