Voices from Minority Youth on Help-Seeking and Barriers to Mental Health Services: Partnering with School-Based Health Centers.

Objective: Schools and school-based health centers (SBHCs) play an important role in reducing disparities in access to mental health treatment. However, there is a need to increase student engagement in school mental health services. This study sought to understand the perceptions of low-income minority youth on help-seeking and barriers to mental health services at SBHC sites. Setting: A network of SBHCs, called Wellness Centers, developed as part of a strategic plan to serve students and community members in under-resourced areas of a large urban school district. Participants and Procedures: We conducted focus groups with 76 middle and high school students at nine SBHC sites through a community-academic partnered approach from January to May 2014. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and major themes coded with Atlas.ti.5.1. Results: Students identified teachers as a primary source of support for mental health issues, followed by peers and mental health counselors. Students felt that trust and connection were vital for help-seeking. Barriers to using SBHCs included: embarrassment; fear of judgment; concerns about confidentiality; a sense that they should keep things inside; and lack of awareness. Conclusions: Despite the resources available at SBHCs, students face barriers to help-seeking. SBHCs can help teachers and school staff gain awareness of mental health issues and services available to students. The students' recommendations-making SBHCs more comfortable, raising mental health awareness, and bolstering connections with school and SBHC staff-may improve engagement in mental health services at schools with SBHCs.

WISE: A Support Group for Graduate and Post-Graduate Women in STEM.

Women remain underrepresented in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) support groups were developed in 2001 as an intervention to foster community in graduate and postgraduate women in STEM at a large academic research institution. Since the WISE program's inception, over 1,500 women have participated. From 2011 to 2018, anonymous, voluntary surveys were distributed at the end of every academic year to WISE group members. Surveys consisted of quantitative and qualitative data regarding participants' perceptions of and experiences in the WISE groups. From 2011 to 2018, 76.4% of survey respondents (n = 416) reported that WISE groups were an excellent experience overall. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data demonstrated four major benefits of WISE group participation: creation of community, having a safe space, emotional support, and peer mentorship. Suggestions for improvement included increasing access to groups. The WISE group program was a well-liked intervention that may support graduate and postgraduate women in STEM. Study limitations, as well as implications for future research, practice, and advocacy are noted.