School Counselors' Roles in Supporting Students with Risky Behaviors

Students come to school with different needs and strengths. Some may show riskier behaviors than others. Several factors that contribute to risky behaviors include peer pressure, family conflicts, low self-esteem, a lack of parental supervision and difficulties accessing community resources.

As school counselors, we are trained to support and provide guidance to students who are struggling with various issues. Counselors are normally called to support students engaging in risky behaviors including self-harm, substance abuse and reckless decisions. Understanding the impact of these behaviors and providing intervention can increase opportunities for students to achieve academically, socially and emotionally and become productive citizens in the community. Here are some ways to consider of how we can help students with risky behaviors. 

1. Identifying students with risky behaviors: School counselors can identify students through observations, conversations with teachers and referrals from parents or other school staff. We can also use screening tools to identify students at risk for substance abuse, mental health issues or other risky behaviors. This can be done collaboratively with personnel in your district or with other education stakeholders in your community.

My school district used SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires) last school year. It was coordinated by the district Mental Health Department with lots of support from school social workers. Having these students identified early on helped me focus on supporting them with comprehensive school counseling program, including classroom counseling and small-group counseling, and referring them to outside community counseling agencies. It was a proactive step to support students at risk.

2. Providing short-term or brief counseling services: School counselors can provide individual and group counseling to students struggling with risky behaviors. We can help students understand their unhealthy habits or choices, develop coping skills, develop clear goals and a sense of purpose, and make positive changes. School counselors should be aware of our limits to not provide long-term counseling and communicate clearly to the students, parents and other involved parties.

3. Referring students to community resources: A student’s needs may be greater than what school counselors can provide, or they may benefit from longer term counseling. Therefore, school counselors should have a list of current referral resources, consistent with school and district policies, to refer students who need more specialized help such as substance abuse treatment centers, mental health clinics or community organizations. We can also work with parents and other school staff to ensure that students are receiving the support they need outside of school.

4. Providing education and prevention programs: School counselors play a critical role in guiding and educating all students about the danger of risky choices. This can be done in classroom counseling and/or as school-wide activities. We can provide education and prevention programs to students on a variety of topics related to personal safety skills and safe vs. unsafe behaviors, such as substance abuse, bullying, healthy body image, and healthy boundaries and relationships. Check out the ASCA website for National Educational and Health Awareness Dates and incorporate some of those dates into your school-wide activities.

Working with teachers and other school staff is essential to create a safe and supportive school environment that promotes positive behavior. Peer education is another effective prevention strategy, especially for upper grades students. They are more likely to listen to their peers than to authority figures, so involving middle and high school students in educational programs and encouraging them to be role models for their peers can be a powerful way to prevent risky behaviors.

5. Collaborating with other school staff: Collaborate, collaborate! School counselors can work with staff such as teachers, administrators, school social workers and school resource officers to identify and support students with risky behaviors. A positive school climate and restorative approach will create a trusting relationship for these students to reach out and receive the help they need. School counselors can also collaborate with parents and outside service providers to ensure that students are receiving comprehensive support.

In conclusion, school counselors play a crucial role in helping students who are engaging in risky behaviors. By detecting the warning signs, providing brief counseling services, referring students to outside resources, providing education and prevention programs and collaborating with other school staff or stakeholders, we can help students overcome their challenges, avoid negative consequences from risky behaviors, experience success in school, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
 
Lee Acers, LPC, is a school counselor in Oklahoma City Public Schools and a member of the OSCA Board of Directors. Contact her at kkacers@okcps.org.