Supporting students:
What’s next for mental health
Even before the pandemic began, more than 1 in 3 high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. In many communities, those numbers have skyrocketed. But in some places, educators and others are experimenting with new ways to address students’ mental health needs — or reinvent old strategies. In this reporting collaborative, the Education Labs at AL.com, The Dallas Morning News, The Fresno Bee, The Post & Courier, and the Seattle Times partnered with The Christian Science Monitor, The Hechinger Report, and Solutions Journalism Network to produce this series of solutions-oriented stories.
IntroductionSupporting students: What’s next for mental healthA reporting collaborative, including the Monitor, offers examples of the mental health solutions being offered to support children and young adults.
Mental health: Is that a job for schools?Concerns about ethics, privacy, and piling on educators have some wondering: Should schools be shouldering the mental health crisis? Part of a package on solutions for helping students.
Cover StoryWhy a conservative Florida county raised taxes to help childrenIn the same election where Escambia County overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump, voters also raised taxes to create the Escambia Children’s Trust.
AL.comNew Alabama role ‘important’ for improving schools, student mental healthMental health service coordinators are now in place in nearly all of Alabama’s 138 school districts; they help smooth the path so more students can find resources. (Photo credit: Ruth Serven Smith/AL.com)
FRESNO BEEThis Fresno school opened safe space for students 12 years ago. Now the idea is spreading.More than a tricked-out fun hub, the Bear Cave at Yosemite Middle School is one of the school’s most important social-emotional interventions. (Photo credit: Eric Paul Zamora/The Fresno Bee)
THE SEATTLE TIMESCan peer mental health programs bridge access gaps for youth? Experts say it's complicated.The basic idea behind peer support programs is straightforward: They rely on students trained to offer a listening ear to those who reach out, provide direct mentorship and guidance, or spot struggling students and help connect them with an adult or professional resources. (Photo credit: Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times )
THE POST & COURIERHow one rural S.C. school district is tackling the in-school therapist shortageOver the next few years, South Carolina officials want to dramatically increase the number of mental health therapists in schools. Paying more is part of the plan – starting salaries could nearly double. Also part of the plan: Turning to private providers. (Photo credit: Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier)
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWSThis Texas college’s focus on mental health helps students work through trauma, stay on trackCounselors at Paul Quinn College’s campus clinic don’t wait for students to reach out. Instead, they make their presence known and identify needs early on. (Photo credit: Ben Torres, special contributor for The Dallas Morning News)
The Hechinger ReportStudents who drop out for mental health struggles are turning to pricey programs to find their way backThere are programs specifically designed to help college students on a leave of absence improve their mental health and prepare to return to campus, but they are few, and most are prohibitively expensive. Mental health and education experts are working to develop shorter, more accessible models that can be used on any campus and help ensure that more students are able to successfully return from leaves of absence and earn their degrees. (Photo credit: Yunen Bonaparte for The Hechinger Report)
