The well-being of students and staff is the foundation for the success of the entire community.
At the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health, we aim to positively impact school mental health and well-being across Iowa and beyond through a combination of research, training, professional development, and clinical services.
11,200+
From Oct. 2023 - Dec. 2024
1,400+
From Oct. 2023 - Dec. 2024
5,200+
From Oct. 2023 - Dec. 2024
$ 14M+
From Oct. 2023 - Dec. 2024
What is School Mental Health?
School mental health considers the social, emotional, and behavioral health of individuals, groups, and systems within a school community. Prioritizing school mental health and well-being allows students and staff to function effectively and be good, productive citizens.
Latest Tips and Insights
Healthy Leadership Starts Here: 10 Practical Tips
Sunday, November 2, 2025
From SelfCare to StaffCare, learn 10 ways to put healthy leadership into your practice.
What Healthy Leadership Really Looks Like: When Health and Well-Being Come Before Bottom Line
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Are you a healthy leader? Find out what this really means, the research behind it, and why your leadership philosophy might need a health-oriented leadership (HoL) upgrade.
Balance is for Yoga: 5 Ideas for Work Life Integration Instead
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Discover why work-life balance falls short and how work-life integration offers a realistic, holistic approach. Explore 5 practical strategies to navigate school life with ease.
Are You a “Yes-Person” Who Needs Help Saying “No”? 5 Tips to Prioritize Your Self-Care This School Year
Monday, September 1, 2025
You give so much—don’t forget yourself. These 5 self-care tips will help educators and school mental health professionals set boundaries and thrive all year long.
“Why Won’t They Just Go to School?” A Personal and Professional Reckoning with Chronic Absenteeism
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
This blog explores the roots of the national attendance crisis—from anxiety and disengagement to outdated interventions—and offers human-centered strategies to reconnect students to school.
Upcoming Events
LivingWorks safeTALK Suicide Prevention Training
Monday, November 17, 2025 8:30am to 12:30pm
LivingWorks safeTALK training prepares people to be more alert to suicide and to help persons with thoughts of suicide make safe connections. The intervention goal is that persons with thoughts of suicide connect with someone who will help them keep safe from suicide and access further support.
Supporting Students Through Grief and Loss
Monday, November 17, 2025 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Grief affects students in many ways. This webinar helps K–12 educators recognize the different ways grief may appear and offers practical strategies to provide meaningful support and coping skills to students experiencing loss.
Educator Wellbeing: Skills for Empowerment
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 4:00pm to 4:50pm
During this webinar, K-12 educators will learn skills to support well-being and prevent burnout. Participants will learn how to apply skills in the following areas: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation.
What is Psychiatry?
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 5:00pm to 5:40pm
Learn about the field of psychiatry and its place in mental health, the educational and clinical training required to become a psychiatrist, the work a psychiatrist does, and gain a foundational understanding of the conditions psychiatry addresses and the approaches used in treatment.