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eSchool News
How districts are addressing adolescent mental health
By Eileen Belastock
November 15th, 2019
Adolescent mental health is an urgent and pressing issue--here's what districts can do to take care of students
Research from a recent white paper highlights the increasing crisis in
adolescent mental health. In a recent edWebinar, presenters emphasized
the need for school districts “to intervene with students as quickly as
possible to keep them safe.”
The rise of anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression rates are increasing, and suicide is now the
second-leading cause of death for 10- to 19-year-olds across the
spectrum of race, gender, and socioeconomic levels.
Seventy percent of teens cite anxiety and depression as a significant
problem for their friends and their peers, and 40 percent of students
report that bullying, substance, and alcohol abuse are affecting fellow
students. More than 10 million students between the ages of 13 to 18
need professional help for a mental health condition.
This situation is a “mental health tsunami,” moving very fast in
schools across the country, and the pressure is on. Some of the
underlying causes of adolescent stress identified by mental health
professionals include academics, social media, and childhood trauma
such as homelessness and abuse.
Gateways to mental health issues
Schools struggle as students are exposed to online gaming, pornography,
social media, and pro-self-harm websites when using technology outside
of the school walls. While not evil, technology can be a gateway to
some of the harmful behaviors we find in students who are in a crisis,
such as gambling, sex addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, and
suicidality.
Approaches by school districts
So how can school districts create a response system that supports
students? There are several approaches that districts are taking to
deal with adolescent mental health issues, including school-wide
interventions, adding more support for students, and extending services
from community helpers.
Dickinson ISD has taken a community-based approach by partnering with
Gaggle, local law enforcement agencies, and coordinating agencies to
intervene when there is a concern. This collaborative approach lets
students know that the school community cares about them and that the
community will take appropriate measures to support the health and
well-being of students. Another school district that has an impactful
influence on adolescent mental health is the Nampa School District.
Taking an intra-district approach with the school community, district
leaders created the Nampa Behavioral Youth Impact Team. This team
identified three themes to define the problem and create proactive
measures: school culture, adult and student relationships, and
student-led learning.
Mental health is a growing crisis for our adolescent populations, but
there are tools and resources available to schools and districts. Only
when school and local communities focus on a common goal can they
create safe and healthy learning experiences for all students. The
presenters ended the edWebinar by echoing a common theme: Everyone has
a vested interest in growing safe, secure, healthy kids.
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