Vanderbilt plan targets mental health

An intervention program developed in a partnership between Vanderbilt University and Metro schools has been handpicked by North Carolina for use with 4,000 pre-K students.

Reaching Educators, Children and Parents (RECAP) grew out of a need to better address mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that weigh on students and contribute to behavior problems.

A study of nine high-poverty Metro schools in the early 90s revealed 30 percent of the students had serious mental health needs, but only 10 percent were getting services, according to Tom Catron, professor and director of the division of community psychiatry at Vanderbilt University.

While children or families may not seek services in the community, the resulting behavior shows up in the classroom, often demanding teachers spend more time on behavior than learning.