Combatting the Mental Health Crisis
The mental health crisis is a large issue that not only impacts a lot of people but is also incredibly complex. This makes it very difficult to combat from a school district’s perspective. This is because many things are causing this crisis, including technology and social media, bullying and cyberbullying, physical violence, and sexual violence and exploitation. This means that one policy and/or one action will not solve this issue. So to truly effectively combat the crisis we need a comprehensive plan that works on each one of these issues.
The need for action is very compelling. Currently, over 300 Brainerd High School students have attempted to take their own life. This is enough to fill 4 school buses full of children. Every three years when we collect this data, this and every figure on mental health gets worse and worse. More than half of our 5th graders are already exhibiting symptoms of depression and anxiety. Showing that without action we won’t just see a few students lose their lives but that thousands of students could lose their lives over the coming decade. We need to dedicate serious resources to this crisis or else we will be reeling from the loss of family members, friends, and neighbors. So what is my plan? My plan currently entails 28 steps and has multiple phases. Below are some of the highlights of the plan but not the whole plan as some steps are still in development. I am already working with administrators and board members to implement some of the solutions from this plan.
Phase 1: Foundation
This phase of the plan is focused on free or low-cost initiatives to build a strong base.
Mental health screening for elementary and middle school students during hearing and vision tests. Results would be given to parents with resources to help their child(ren) and the school would begin giving academic accommodations to students who test positive.
Awareness campaigns for academic accommodations so that students can get academic support when experiencing mental health concerns.
Giving resources and information to parents on the impact of new technology and social media on their children and how they can help them build healthy digital habits.
Having later start times. Research by the National Institute of Health has shown that early start times have a significant impact on the mental health of students. This is due to disrupting the circadian rhythm.
Creating more clear-cut policies for bullying and cyberbullying punishments. Currently, punishment is left to the discretion of administrators. Creating policies that categorize bullying/cyberbullying and creating punishments for each category ensure we have accountability.
Create a program where families can sign up to host a student(s) who is homeless.
Phase 2: Expansion
This phase of the plan involves moderately priced programs to enhance and expand mental health resources.
Curriculum beginning in elementary and middle schools to talk about mental health
Increasing engaging outdoor physical education
Creating staff training and support groups for coping with mental health and stress
Creating a prevention program for sexual violence that includes what sexual violence is, how to report it, resources, bystander intervention, and healthy vs. unhealthy relationships.
Offering workshops for students, parents, and staff that cover stress management, coping strategies, understanding mental health disorders, and how to seek help.
Developing an online mental health literacy program for parents to educate them on recognizing signs of mental health issues in their children, effective communication strategies, and how to seek help.
Having staff members become certified as sexual assault advocates and forming a Sexual Assault Response Team
Phase 3: Transformation
This phase incorporates high-cost or radical changes to our school system.
Using school lawyers to sue social media companies for substantive harm to student learning and well-being
Allowing students to opt for a longer school year that would be at a slower pace
Creating a no cost after-school therapy program with transportation provided