Marvalee Collins was interviewed by the Kansas City Star for a story titled, Your teen. Their trauma. Kansas City area schools struggle with students’ mental health, which sheds light on how the pandemic has exacerbated mental health concerns in schools, the need for more counselors, and how school counselors are a critical lifeline for children and teens facing mental health challenges.

“The role of school counselors has transformed in recent years. They now serve the entire student body, focusing on both prevention and intervention by pinpointing three domains of learning: academic, social-emotional and career,” she said. “Having that mental health professional that is school-based is really critical. The school counselor may be the only mental health professional a student ever worked with”.

Marvalee  Collins is the coordinator of school counseling and practicum and internship at the UMKC School of Education.