Abstract
Abstract of SOCIAL WORKER PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO WORKING WITH AT-RISK YOUTH AND RECEIVING INFORMED CONSENT by Gregory Fisher In the United States over 3 million students drop out over the course of a year from public schools. Many of these dropout students are considered at-risk due to poverty and issues surrounding mental health status. The purpose of this study is to investigate potential barriers school social workers face in trying to reach this at-risk population to provide interventions and receive informed consent. The study surveyed 12 school mental health professionals who work in the Natomas Unified School District to gain a better understanding of commonly present barriers that impede the provision of services to at-risk youth. Results from the study indicated that receiving informed consent to work with at-risk youth can be problematic due to issues involving mental health stigma and symptom identification, lack of understanding of confidentiality laws, and insufficient screening tools to identify students in need. Finally, the study highlights the need for social workers to do outreach in educating students on the topic of mental health.