Building a “Culture of Trust”: The Cultural and Practical Challenges of School-Based Behavioral Health Care in Overseas Military Base Schools

This chapter is a review of issues that one school based mental health program has faced in entering into secondary schools in military bases overseas. First, a brief review of the impact of military life on dependents is presented followed by a brief review of the school based mental health model in the U.S. Army. Specific issues that the school based mental health program in Bavaria, Germany have encountered will be presented to review the cultural challenges of school based mental health service delivery to military dependents overseas. Additionally, program structures that support cultural sensitivity will be presented.