The Role of Integrated Behavioral Health
Aligning the Education and Health Care Sectors

Adolescent behavioral health concerns are common and relevant to academic achievement. In fact,
students with positive behavioral health are more equipped to learn and excel academically.

adolescent standing with skateboard
clouds
a bird
a bird

But, 1 in 5 adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disease.

5 teens standing in a row. the first teen is from the panel above
SOURCE: Merikangas, KR, He JP, Burstein M., et al., 2010
school building
hospital building
clouds

While promoting adolescent behavioral health
is a common interest between schools and health care,

75-80%

with mental health needs don't receive the necessary services.

What’s more, nearly half of all lifetime mental health disorders start by the mid-teenage years

Schools and health care systems can align missions

by using the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support as a common framework.

This will enhance partnership development, leverage evidence-informed resources, and sustain funding for this work.

Download Full Brief
SOURCE: Kataoka SH, Zhang L, Wells KB, 2002.
SOURCE: Kessler, RC, Amminger GP, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J, Lee S and Ustun TB, 2007.