UNI fulfilling the need for school psychologists

UNI is fulfilling an urgent mental health need with its school psychology program, which is the only program in the state accepting students. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 20% of adolescents aged 13-18 live with a mental health condition. In Iowa, 29% of high school students report experiencing depression symptoms, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. School psychologists play a key role in addressing this urgent need, using systems frameworks to provide support to students struggling with mental illness.

 “Anxiety and depression are certainly on the rise in the adolescent population. I hear on a regular basis from principals, superintendents and teachers that this is where they are struggling,” said Nicole Skaar, associate professor and program coordinator for UNI’s School Psychology program. “We need to get students support and help. The research supports using multi-tiered systems of support as a framework to match resources to student needs, and we’re starting to get to the place where we’re using that framework to impact mental health, not just academics.”

Unfortunately, in Iowa there is a shortage of professionals qualified to address this need. The National Association of School Psychologists’ recommended ratio for school psychologists is one per 700 students; in Iowa, there is one per every 1,400 students.

Green Hills Area Education Agency (AEA) in Council Bluffs was just awarded a federal grant to recruit and train new school psychologists in rural Western Iowa. Skaar, along with her colleagues from UNI’s school psychology program, as well as the Prairie Lakes AEA in Pocahontas, are working together on this project. By its conclusion in five years, 10 new school psychologists will be added.

Skaar recently received the Iowa School Psychologist of the Year award from Iowa School Psychologists Association (ISPA) for her work with educating future school psychologists. Skaar is also the president of ISPA and is helping to plan a Day on the Hill to advocate for school psychology.