SMHILE has its roots in the foundational work of the International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools (Intercamhs). This organization was launched in 2003 as a network designed to foster international exchange on topics related to school mental health promotion. Intercamhs led a number of important initiatives, hosted events, and produced reports. These efforts are summarized on the Intercamhs website:
In fall 2013, a group of Intercamhs members suggested that a new entity, with a core focus on leadership and implementation in school mental health , could add value to the field. A core team was assembled to further develop this idea. SMHILE is the result of these efforts.