Mental health needs for young children and beyond are sometimes missed by parents.
____________________________________________________
The Benefits of Mental Health Programs in Schools
Community partnerships can help K-12 schools provide more robust mental health support for students.
By Kate Rix
|
Nov. 15, 2022, at 5:04 p.m.
As the number of young people experiencing depression and anxiety
continues to grow, schools play a critical role as providers of mental health services: Some
70% of children in the U.S. who seek and receive mental health support get it at school.
“School-based services help students navigate the system,” says Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, director of policy and advocacy at the National Association of School Psychologists. “It can be very daunting for a parent with a child who is struggling. When there are services at schools, kids are more likely to ask for help.”
They may also be more likely to get help sooner: Due to a lack of
mental health providers nationwide, the wait to see a private practitioner is as long as six months in some areas.
But schools can struggle to meet the need with existing mental health staff as well. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250 students for each counselor, but the nationwide average was
415 students per counselor in 2021. The numbers are even worse for school psychologists. While the National Association of School Psychologists recommends 1 psychologist for every 500 students, in some states the ratio is as high as
1 to 5,000.
The Benefits of Mental Health Programs in Schools | K-12 Schools | U.S. News (usnews.com)