Designing Organizational Systems to Support Achievement of Performance Goals in Student Mental Health

Delivering first-rate services that addresses the needs of high school students is crucial to the structural sustainability for a counseling department within a high school setting. A well-planned improvement of the structural profile of a counseling department which supports students seeking mental health assistance will become an important part in capacity building. The focus of this study was to recognize the necessity for creating a specific and successful plan that will support both counselors and students within a high school counseling center. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to direct this case study of a behavioral health organization in the Southeast area of the United States. Data consisted of several interviews with the behavioral health organization’s lead counselors, district websites, state websites, and academic peer-reviewed journal articles. The outcomes revealed that the school district had elevated counselor caseloads that impacted the ability to deliver support to student mental health. Recommendations related to the discoveries include the creation and application of phases that include plans and goals over the duration of a year. This study adds to positive social change by recommending reducing the number of caseloads and additional duties that high school counselors experience while improving student mental health assistance and guidance that students need. In turn, the students will develop better coping skills, social skills, and a healthier lifestyle, while counselors will feel more organized and able to meet the needs of their students.