Dr. Dan Li Presents on School Mental Health at OU Professional Rounds

The Department of Health Promotion Sciences is proud to share that our very own Dr. Dan Li recently presented at the Professional Rounds hosted by the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Li’s presentation on "School Mental Health" took place on Monday, February 10^th, 2025.

As an Associate Professor with a research focus on mental health promotion in K-12 schools, Dr. Li provided valuable insights into school-based mental health services, evidence-based interventions, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance student well-being. Her presentation highlighted the role of school counselors in leading social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions and the effectiveness of these programs in promoting students' academic, social, emotional, and career development.

Dr. Li emphasized that a key challenge for school counselors in promoting mental health is the need for a school counseling program that is comprehensive in scope, preventive in design, and developmental in nature. While counseling services are essential, a broader approach to mental health promotion is necessary. This requires a concerted effort to implement proactive prevention and intervention strategies rather than relying on reactive measures.

Additionally, Dr. Li highlighted the newly established Children’s Environmental Health Center at the Hudson College of Public Health, which will examine the cumulative health impacts of environmental and psychosocial factors on student well-being. One study under this initiative aims to evaluate the effects of air-cleaning equipment and environmental health education programs on reducing school absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.

Attendees gained a deeper understanding of how community and environmental factors shape student mental health and how prevention and early intervention strategies can improve outcomes for children facing adversity.

Thank you to all who participated in this insightful session and contributed to the conversation on enhancing mental health support in schools! To learn more about Dr. Li's research, please visit her page HERE.