The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already present and growing mental health challenges in students across the country. And with schools struggling with provision changes, funding cuts, and more, tackling such issues is proving difficult.
However, Brooke Beyma explains that the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments has compiled a list of evidence-based techniques educational establishments can implement to create nurturing, well-being-focused student environments.
Aligning Programs with Continuous Services
Effective mental health programs in schools offer a continuum of services aligned with each other. Multi-tiered support systems serve institutions well, as they systematically identify pupils’ common and specific needs.
The universal level, often called Tier One, encourages teachers to increase their mental health knowledge and utilize strategies that support social, psychological, and emotional well-being in their classrooms.
Tier Two (a more targeted section) involves counselors, social workers, and other school-based mental-health-focused staff providing consultations with teachers on certain students or offering services directly to said students.
Tier Three (individualized, intensive strategies and management) support is given to a somewhat small number of students with considerable treatment requirements. Depending on the school, Tier Three services are offered at the establishment or via community mental health organizations.
Involving Family and Youth Voices
Parent involvement in their child’s treatment has been proven to help reach positive outcomes. Although there are challenges, warns the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments.
Inclusion in the participatory planning process will increase program relevance and impact the direction of school mental health services in the best way, particularly for communities historically underserved and marginalized. Some of these individuals may have different perspectives about their children’s needs and, thus, service provisions.
Engaging Leadership in Planning and Support
Supportive district- and school-level administrators are essential for the constant implementation of establishment-based mental health initiatives. As such, planners and policymakers should be involved in the early planning phase when schools are crafting all-new mental health programs.
Administrative support ensures staff can effectively deliver the program and have the resources allocated for successful implementation.
Plus, decision-makers can create and enforce policies for system changes to further increase effectiveness.
Constructing Staff Mental Health Load
Institution-based mental health programs rely heavily on the staff’s knowledge of conditions, how they can manifest in school environments, and how concerns can be addressed. Sadly, many teachers lack knowledge of their students’ emotional or mental health needs.
Educators may not have the knowledge or skills to address emotional or behavioral challenges with evidence-based methods. Thus, professional development is required before approaches can be efficiently and effectively implemented.
Constantly Improving with Data-Led Changes
Regardless of the specific evidence-based intervention, schools must collect data systematically for CQI (i.e., continuous quality improvement) and sustainability of the programs.
Policymakers can utilize the data to make decisions related to training, referrals, staffing, program selection, delivery methods, and resource allocation. Naturally, the same data can also be used to define disparities that could exist for historically underserved populations, guiding outreach efforts.
With all five implementation methods in place, schools stand the best chance at providing practical, evidence-based approaches to support their pupils.
