Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic – especially in the learning environment – has been complicated. And that’s putting it mildly. Children and adolescents are struggling now more than ever with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and other mental health disorders. School staff members struggle to find the best supports possible for students. Caregivers struggle to know what supports are available to their children in the school setting, and schools struggle to know when or how to intervene for each student.
To begin to address these challenges, it’s important to develop a shared understanding of mental health supports and how these challenges manifest in the school setting.
Some of the most common student behaviors associated with mental health difficulties include withdrawal, inattention, hypervigilance (the elevated state of constantly assessing potential threats), irritability, refusal to attend school, refusal to participate in class, and anger/aggressive outbursts. In a school setting, these behaviors can cause academic and social deficits for all students, which is why appropriate supports and interventions are necessary.
Let’s examine some steps caregivers (parents, grandparents, guardians), educators, and other adults in a school setting can take to help students succeed.
Steps for Caregivers
Communicate
Mental health disorders continue to be stigmatized, which makes talking about them difficult. However, in order for children to be fully supported, it is important for everyone who interacts with them on a daily basis to be aware of their needs. Communicating openly about those needs with teacher(s) and school staff is one way this is accomplished.
Collaborate
Within the school setting, there are a number of ways to connect with teachers and other school staff. At a minimum, a caregiver-teacher conference should be held during which you talk with your child’s teacher(s) about what supports might benefit your child. If your child is in regular therapy or other treatment for their mental health diagnosis, giving consent to have your child’s therapist speak with school staff can be beneficial.
Advocate
Some students will require a higher level of support to be successful in a school setting. As a caregiver, you are encouraged to advocate for your child whenever you feel there is more that can be done. Most schools have student support systems or child study teams in place. You may need to recommend your child for an evaluation to determine if a 504 plan or special education/exceptional education services are necessary (more on those later).
Steps for Schools
Create a Welcoming Environment
To decrease stigma associated with mental health disorders, educate teachers and school staff about mental health difficulties in students. Provide access for students to school counselors, school psychologists, and social workers in the school. Generally, positive conversations about mental health should be amplified in the school setting.
There are a variety of supports for students managing mental health challenges. Students might benefit from a check-in person (i.e., someone with whom the student can form a positive relationship outside of their main classroom teacher). For younger children, consider setting up a calm-down corner in the classroom. To help keep students from becoming overwhelmed, offer frequent breaks throughout the day. Consider setting up groups for children and adolescents who have similar emotional experiences.
For adults who work with students in school settings, knowing what to avoid can be just as important as finding the proper supports. Use of rewards and punishments for behavior will likely not work for most students who experience mental health difficulties. Instead, focus on creating strong relationships and a feeling of emotional safety. When a student’s mental health symptoms manifest as anger or aggression (referred to as fight-flight-freeze), adults are encouraged to limit the use of language until the student is in a calmer state. The student’s thinking brain is not engaged when they are yelling, screaming, crying, fighting, or running away. Give students time to become calm while staying physically present with them. This extra time might help students get to a place where they can rationalize and problem-solve with the adult’s guidance.
Communicate and Collaborate
Because educators have more exposure and training to identify what is typical emotional development, school staff are often more aware of a student’s difficulties and can bring this to the attention of the student’s caregivers.
Many schools will have a list of community resources to provide to a family should the family desire supports outside the school setting. Try to stay in close contact with the caregivers of students who are struggling emotionally to build strong relationships with the student and family.
Refer and Evaluate
Even the best services in a classroom will not be enough to fully support every child’s mental health needs. If classroom teachers or other school staff believe a child would benefit from additional supports, the evaluation process for either a 504 plan or special education/exceptional education services (through an IEP) can be initiated.
Diagnose
If a student has a documented mental health diagnosis, this student may be eligible for a section 504 plan under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student’s behaviors and/or emotional needs demonstrate that an evaluation for special education/exceptional education services are warranted, there are two primary special education criteria that should be considered: emotional disability (ED) for children who experience symptoms related to anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health difficulties, or other health impairment (OHI) for students who experience symptoms consistent with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or other medical conditions.
Mental health – including children’s mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being – is crucial to our children’s overall health. Before the pandemic, mental health diagnoses in children were on the rise. The interruption in learning and social isolation caused by the public health crisis exacerbated the challenges for families, schools, and communities. With patience and empathy, schools and families can work together to further the process of healing our children.
