The COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, and economic decline have been taking a toll on the mental health of Americans, including kids, as highlighted in many recent news stories:
- One in Four Teens Involved in Bullying Incidents
- A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying
- Suicide Now Second Leading Cause of Death Among High School-Aged Youths
- Teens Are Growing Depressed and Disconnected From School
- The Crisis in Youth Suicide
- Almost 60% of Parents with Children Aged 14-18 Reported Them Being Bullied
The Impact of COVID-19 on Student Mental Health
A new survey done in August found that almost a quarter of U.S. high school and college students know someone who has had suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. 55% of those students offered support to a peer whom they thought might be struggling with suicidal thoughts. And, 49% reported having a friend reach out to them. The survey also found:
- 53% of high school students surveyed said they were “moderately”, “very”, or “extremely” concerned about their mental health.
- 62% of high school students surveyed reported feeling stressed since the start of the pandemic, 38% reported feeling depressed, and 51% said they experienced anxiety.
- 5% of all the students surveyed reported they made a suicide attempt during the pandemic.
- Only 40% of high school students said their school provided useful mental health resources, and only 38% felt that their teachers took mental health seriously.
- 47% of high school students surveyed reporting feeling anxious about returning to school, and only a quarter felt optimistic about returning to school.
- 25% of students who did not reach out to their school’s counseling services “said they did not reach out because they felt uncomfortable doing so.”
Schools have had to readjust their plans to incorporate many new protocols and directives in response to COVID-19, but providing mental health resources to support both students and staff should also be a part of those plans.
How Vector Solutions Can Help
Online Training
The SafeSchools Online Training System includes expert-authored courses on mental health and wellness topics for your staff and students:
- Bullying: Recognition & Response
- Coronavirus: Managing Stress and Anxiety
- Cyberbullying
- Making Schools Safe & Inclusive for LGBTQ Students
- Making Schools Safe & Inclusive for Transgender Students
- Stress Management
- Student Mental Health: Awareness, Intervention and Referral
- Youth Suicide: Awareness, Prevention & Postvention
- Bullying & Cyberbullying
- Depression Awareness
- Digital Citizenship
- Good Decision Making
- Healthy Relationships
- Resolving Disagreements
- Stress & Anxiety
- Youth Suicide Risk
Anonymous Tip Reporting
Our SafeSchools Alert Tip Reporting System allows students, staff, and parents to confidentially report safety concerns, including concerns about the health and well-being of peers, to your administration 24/7/365 via mobile app, text, phone, email, and website.
To learn more about our SafeSchools Staff or Student Training or our Tip Reporting System, request a demo online.
Other Resources from SafeSchools
We have also published numerous blogs about the mental health crisis, including helpful resources and tips:
- Back to School: Getting Ahead of Bullying
- Bullying Prevention Month: Bullying & Cyberbullying Prevention Amid COVID-19
- Cyberbullying a Growing Concern
- Cyberbullying Prevention Tips to Help Keep Your School & Students Safe
- Cyberbullying: What Educators Need to Know
- Examining the Youth Suicide Crisis
- How Schools Can Increase Mental Health Support to Students
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- New Courses Support Social Emotional Learning as Student Return to School
- Student Mental Health a Growing Concern Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
- Suicide Awareness and Prevention
- Suicide Prevention Month: Supporting Schools’ Youth Suicide Prevention Efforts
On-Demand Webinar with Dr. Kellie Gray-Smith
Self-care strategies have always been important tools in educators’ toolboxes as they manage and meet the expanding needs of their students, often with constricting budgets. With the mandated closing of in-person learning for most school districts around the country due to COVID-19 threats, the social emotional needs of students and teachers have become top priorities. Self-care has become even more important as educators manage their own families’ needs while providing remote learning to their students and responding to parents’ questions and concerns. Given that most states are re-opening with ongoing concerns and questions about staying as safe as possible amid COVID-19 threats, school districts are preparing to re-open as well when school begins.
This webinar presented important self-care considerations and trauma-informed strategies for educators as they prepare to address their own and their students’ emotional and physical needs upon returning to school, whether virtual, in person, or a blend of these two options.
Complete the form below to view the webinar recording.
About the Presenter – Dr. Kellie Gray-Smith
Dr. Kellie Gray-Smith is a licensed psychologist and a licensed specialist in school psychology and has practiced for 18 years in large, diverse, urban and suburban public school district settings. She also maintains an active private counseling practice in which she treats emotional-behavioral disorders that include anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, and other conditions that have an onset during childhood and adolescence. In both school-based and clinical settings, Dr. Gray-Smith works with students and staff who have experienced various forms of trauma, suicidal thoughts and/or attempts, along with other life stressors and has helped students and staff acquire effective self-care and coping skills to manage their life stressors. Dr. Gray-Smith is also the author of several courses in our Exceptional Child special education-related course library.
A recent survey of 3,300 teenagers (ages 13-19) conducted by America’s Promise Alliance found that teens are more concerned than usual about their health and their family’s health, as well as concerned about the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their families. According to the survey report, “30% of young people say they have more often been feeling unhappy or depressed, and nearly as many say they are much more concerned than usual about having their basic needs met. More than one-quarter of students (29%) say they do not feel connected at all to school adults. A similar percentage do not feel connected to classmates or to their school community.” Survey results indicate that teens are experiencing collective trauma caused by the changes in their immediate circumstances, combined with the uncertainty about the future.
In the report, America’s Promise Alliance recommends that students should be provided support as soon as possible to help address their mental health needs. Recommendations include:
- Understand young people’s evolving concerns. Even during the summer, school administrators, counselors, coaches, health care providers, and others should listen to what young people are saying about their concerns, so that they can provide timely, personalized supports.
- Strive toward equity. The survey indicates that all young people are suffering during this time, but the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating pre-pandemic racial and economic inequities. As a result, supports need to be tailored to meet those unique needs.
- Prioritize social and emotional well-being. The survey findings highlight the need for a renewed focus on ensuring students (and the teachers and families who support them) have resources to address their social, emotional, and cognitive well-being.
How SafeSchools Can Help
SafeSchools Training’s courses for students cover essential safety and wellness topics and help educators facilitate important discussions with their students. The expert-authored, video-based course modules are highly relatable and focus on the impact the topics can have on students personally or the people they care about. Peer presenters, animations, and live-acted scenarios help students visualize and apply what they’re learning. Each module comes with a lesson plan, discussion questions to help you talk with students about these important topics, and facilitated group activity ideas. Courses are customized for grades 6-8 and 9-12 to ensure age-appropriate content.
New Student Wellness Courses for Back-to-School
The new collection of courses for grades 9-12 will be available in time for back to school and includes the following courses focused on student emotional and mental well-being: Stress & Anxiety; Depression; Good Decision Making; Healthy Relationships; and Resolving Disagreements. Similar courses for grades 6-8 will be available in 2021.
Other courses currently available for both grades 6-8 and 9-12 include: Alcohol, Drugs, and Vaping; Bullying & Cyberbullying; Digital Citizenship; Sexual Harassment; and Youth Suicide Awareness.
In addition to student course modules, we also provide staff training on many of these topics to help prepare staff to better address student needs, as well as new Trauma-Informed Practices courses available within our Exceptional Child course library.
To learn more about our student or staff training, please contact us at [email protected], 1-800-434-0154, or request a demo online.
There is a mental health crisis in America, and many of America’s high school students are struggling. Fortunately, the government is recognizing the importance of this crisis. For example, the New York Times reported that Oregon and Utah passed new laws last year that allowed students to take sick days due to mental health. That there is now a need for such measures underscores the seriousness of the effects of mental health in education across the country.
These effects include mood swings, unpredictable behavior, discipline issues, and even school avoidance altogether. This has led to the increased importance of research shared by Maryville University that has found many connections between a student’s mindset and their education. The more a student struggles due to mental health issues, the more likely it is their education suffers, which in turn can become a deadly cycle. Depression and substance abuse are linked to over 90% of all suicide cases worldwide, and many students are part of that statistic. This is why schools need to give their students the necessary intervention to help them cope better with their sensitive situations. The suggestions below can help schools institutionalize support for students going through mental health issues.
Talk About Mental Health
Mental health issues must be talked about openly. As such, professor Damien Page of Leeds Beckett University recommends integrating mental health into the school curriculum. Doing so will increase everyone’s understanding of mental health and reduce the stigma associated with mental health struggles. Schools must start incorporating discussions about mental health, and make sure it is talked about in the same way as physical education and healthy eating. In this way, they can adopt a thorough approach to discussing mental health that supports all pupils.
Strengthen the School’s Mental Heath Care Program
Given the rising number of students who may want expert intervention on their conditions, it is crucial that schools augment their mental health care staff with more experts. In this way, they will be able to accommodate and help more students. For instance, they should consider collaborating with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Center for School-Based Mental Health, or the Healthy Students, Promising Futures Learning Collaborative as they can help enhance a school’s mental health care program. Schools might also consider programs such as our Online Training System. This system offers a range of expert-authored courses that guide teaching staff on how to prevent incidents of suicide.
Start School a Bit Later
Support can come in many forms. Sometimes, making things a bit easier for your students is already a way of supporting them. 93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools start classes too early, and this has led doctors at the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend starting school no earlier than 8:30 AM. With this slight adjustment, students will be more likely to get the right amount of sleep for their age. Enough good sleep, of course, is known to foster mental and emotional resilience, as well as boost a person’s mood and enhance their well-being.
Establish Programs for Students’ Physical Health
People who are physically healthy are more likely to be mentally healthy too. So, address your students’ physical health needs as well. That means a public school should provide healthy meals daily, as students who regularly take healthy meals are more energetic and more attentive in class, and are less likely to experience food insecurity (a key cause of stress). Schools should also have a well-developed physical education program, one that gives students plenty of opportunities for physical activity. That’s because any form of exercise can improve one’s well-being. This, in turn, helps enormously in strengthening their mental health.
A Concerted Effort is Needed
Schools are the second home of students, and can play a big role in terms of helping students with their mental health. It is a role that will require a concerted effort among teachers and school administration so they can institutionalize programs such as those discussed above. This responsibility is one that schools need to step up to, especially given the potential trade-off: the chance to develop young men and women into responsible and mentally strong adults.
Written by Elizabeth Pate exclusively for SafeSchools.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it’s vital school staff and administrators recognize potential mental health issues in students.
The statistics surrounding mental health are alarming. Here are some statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health:
- One in five children ages 13-18 have or will have a serious mental illness.
- 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14.
- 90% of those who died by suicide had an underlying mental illness.
- In 2017, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
The National Institute of Mental Health is a great resource for information on mental health as well as ways to get help.
It’s important for your staff to know and understand the link between student behavior and mental health. A student’s mental health affects his or her classroom behavior. When a student causes disruption in the classroom, it can often be an indicator of more serious issues.
Mental Health Awareness Tips
How can your staff identify and help a student with a potential mental illness? First, awareness is key. Be aware of the warning signs and changes in student behavior. If you have access to a school psychologist, he or she can be a valuable resource for students who may have potential mental health needs. If there isn’t a school psychologist readily available in your school or district, there should be a district policy or procedure you should follow to help students with potential mental health issues.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, warning signs of a mental illness include:
- Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than a two week period.
- Trying to harm or kill oneself, or making plans to do so.
- Severe mood swings.
- Drastic changes in behavior, personality, or sleeping habits.
- Out-of-control, risk-taking behaviors that can cause harm to self or others.
- Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, including a racing heart, physical discomfort, or fast breathing.
- Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities.
- Significant weight loss or gain.
- Repeated use of drugs or alcohol.
- Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that can lead to issues in school.
How SafeSchools Can Help
We’ve created a Mental Health Awareness Tip Sheet to help you identify potential cases of mental illness. Click here to download.
Here at Vector Solutions, developers of SafeSchools, we strive to make schools a safer and more inclusive place for all staff and students. That’s why we’ve developed solutions to help your district meet those goals.
Our SafeSchools Online Training System offers courses to help schools train their staff and students on important mental health related topics, including:
Staff Training
- Bullying: Recognition & Response
- Cyberbullying
- Making Schools Safe & Inclusive for LGBTQ Students
- Making School Safe & Inclusive for Transgender Students
- Student Mental Health
- Youth Suicide: Awareness, Prevention & Postvention
Student Training
- Bullying and Cyberbullying (Grades 6-8)
- Bullying and Cyberbullying (Grades 9-12)
- Depression (Grades 9-12)*
- Good Decision Making (Grades 9-12)*
- Healthy Relationships (Grades 9-12)*
- Resolving Disagreements (Grades 9-12)*
- Stress & Anxiety (Grades 9-12)*
- Youth Suicide Risk (Grades 6-8)
- Youth Suicide Risk (Grades 9-12)
*Coming Fall 2020
We also offer SafeSchools Alert, our online tip reporting system that allows students, staff, and parents to confidentially report safety concerns to your administration 24/7/365 via mobile app, text, phone, email, and website.
For a free trial of SafeSchools Training or SafeSchools Alert, please fill out this form.
With the recent school shootings in Arizona and Ohio, it’s important for your staff to know and understand the link between student behavior and mental health. A student’s mental health affects his or her classroom behavior. When a student causes disruption in the classroom, it can often be an indicator of more serious issues.
The National Institute of Mental Health defines mental illness as a complex illness that may come from a combination of genetics, chemical imbalances, congenital anomalies and conditions, or events. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as defined by the CDC, can contribute to student mental health issues. ACEs are events such as the death of a close family member, illness of a parent, family financial problems, divorce, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, domestic violence, or ongoing social exclusion and bullying. Students under severe distress may exhibit:
- Highly disruptive behavior.
- Inability to communicate clearly.
- Threats to harm others.
- Overtly suicidal thoughts.
- Anger, irritability, and increased interpersonal difficulties.
- Marked changes in personal hygiene, noticeable weight gain or loss.
- Acting tired or lack of energy.
- Appearing noticeably anxious or panicked.
How can your staff identify and help a student with a potential mental illness? First, awareness is key. Be aware of the warning signs and changes in student behavior. If you have access to a school psychologist, he or she can be a valuable resource for students who may have potential mental health needs. If there isn’t a school psychologist readily available in your school or district, there will be a district policy or procedure to help students with potential mental health issues.
SafeSchools Training offers a Student Mental Health course that provides an overview of student behavior and mental health. This course is not meant as a diagnostic tool, however, this course may give you information that should be helpful in referring a student to a qualified professional. Diagnoses must always come from a certified professional who specializes in mental health.
