Including Students with Disabilities within School-Based Mental Health Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports

School mental health (SMH) services have rapidly reached countless of school-age students in recent years. The increase in services have positively impacted student mental health and academic outcomes. However, there is still a demand for comprehensive services to support all students in need. Students with disabilities are often excluded from the school mental health discussion yet experience mental health concerns at higher rates than students in general education. In many cases, schools are unprepared and uncertain how to best support students with disabilities. We take a historical perspective of school mental health and provide specific considerations for schools and special educators to include, adapt, or modify services specifically students with a range of disabilities. We communicate best practices within the field of special education and how to apply those practices within SMH.