Page 89 - Security Today, May/June 2021

Also critical to suicide prevention are system-based approaches that teach social and emotional learning, techniques for managing feelings and healthy coping and problem-solving skills. For example, students can be taught to minimize anxiety and stress by setting and focusing on short-term goals.
Peer-led programs are also an effective part of school suicide pre- vention programs. These peer-led programs can create a forum for discussing issues such as stress, anxiety and mental health and help raise awareness about suicide including how to prevent it and where to go to get help.
The CDC also recommends comprehensive approaches to suicide prevention, including promoting connectedness between youths and their schools, teachers, peers and family. One of the ways schools can do this is by pairing students with a caring adult at school who pro- vides adult support, regularly checking-in with them and looking for signs of distress.
Developing Effective School Mental Health Programs
A holistic approach to supporting student mental health is needed in schools. Research conducted by The Jed Foundation and Fluent Research found that “students’ mental health needs were significant and were not being fully addressed in high schools.”
A survey of 1,014 U.S. high school students in grades 9-12, their caregivers, and 479 high school administrators revealed that “both school administrators and caregivers believed it was the school’s responsibility to address students’ mental health and emotional well- being. This was especially true when it came to educating students on how to reach out for help if they needed mental health services (62% of administrators strongly agreed that this was the school’s role; 67% of caregivers strongly agreed that this was the school’s role). Addi- tionally, 58% of school administrators and 62% of caregivers strongly agreed that it was the school’s responsibility to make efforts to pre- vent suicide among students.”
The survey also highlighted student need for more mental health resources and strategies. “Eighteen percent or fewer students felt that most students know healthy ways to cope with stress, available resources to help with mental health issues, and the signs of suicidal ideation. Only 12% of students felt that most other students would be
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willing to ask for help from a school adult for a mental health issue.” Screening is one strategy that can help schools address student mental health issues by identifying students who may need extra support. The American Psychological Association recommends that schools adopt systematic screening of the school population to identify students who may have difficulties with anxiety or depression which can often go unde- tected. The APA notes that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, approxi- mately 15 to 20% of students could be expected to be identified as need- ing support through screening and “this percentage will almost certainly
be higher given the potential emotional fallout of the pandemic.” Schools can also support student well-being by normalizing dis- cussions around mental health to create a climate where mental health is not stigmatized. Teaching students how healthy habits such as eating right, getting adequate sleep and regularly exercising, and encouraging them to adopt these habits can help students support
their own well-being.
Regularly providing guidance to students about the mental health
support available to them and ensuring that this help is easily acces- sible when students need it is also a key part of effective school men- tal health programs.
The Department of Health and Human Services notes that “efforts to care for the emotional well-being of children and youth can extend beyond the classroom and into the entire school. School-based men- tal health programs can focus on promoting mental wellness, pre- venting mental health problems, and providing treatment.”
The pandemic has taken a toll on students’ mental health. Students are reporting higher rates of depression and anxiety than before the pandemic. A June 2020 CDC survey found that 62.9% of the 18 to 24-year olds surveyed reported mental health challenges of anxiety or depressive disorder related to the pandemic.
Now more than ever, schools should be prioritizing programs and strategies designed to support student mental health. A proactive approach to suicide prevention and the development of holistic men- tal health programs can help keep students safe.
Dr. Keita M. Franklin is the chief clinical officer at Loyal Source Govern- ment Services.
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