By Dr. Anthony Hadzimichalis, Ed.D.
Mental health issues have taken a front row seat in the classroom. Following pandemic-related interruptions, students of all ages and backgrounds are experiencing higher rates of depression, anxiety, stress, phobias, and grief.
According to the Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) one in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, but only about half receive treatment. Undiagnosed, untreated or inappropriately treated, mental health conditions can significantly interfere with a student’s ability to learn, or worse.
Schools are in a unique position to help. Students spend nearly six hours a day in school, so school leaders have an opportunity and responsibility to put into place programs to identify, help prevent, and provide care for students with mental illness.
According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), youth are almost as likely to receive mental health services in school as they are from a specialty mental health provider.
When delivered effectively, school-based mental health services are part of a comprehensive program by trained, credentialed and well-supervised professionals. They can remove obstacles to care such as language barriers, transportation, scheduling conflicts, and stigma. And in smaller settings, educators can take time to build and maintain relationships with families and the communities they live in. They must coordinate with local providers and work closely with medical professionals around medication issues, when appropriate. And when school leaders know their students well, they can help identify those experiencing more serious mental health issues, and refer them to more intensive resources when necessary.
Schools are also in a position to help prevent a mental health crisis by providing comprehensive, wrap around services to students. We can teach them skills they need to manage the challenges they face, and support them in their efforts to use those skills in school and at home.
Two years ago, the pandemic forced schools to make major changes to keep our students physically safe and prevent the spread of illness. Now, school leaders must make major changes to keep them emotionally safe and healthy.
About the author: Anthony Hadzimichalis, Ed.D., is the executive director of Westbridge Academy, a state-approved specialized school in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
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