Mental Health revolves around emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental Health is important from childhood to adulthood as it helps a person determine how they relate to others, handle stress, and make healthy choices. Well-being is particularly important to children as it influences how they cope with trauma and physical ill-health. Schools play an important role in creating a positive environment ensuring that students have a sense of connection and belonging. With the increased rates of anxiety and depression being reported among students, schools should be able to spot the early signs of poor mental health and emotional well-being. This paper will address ways in which schools deal with mental health and well-being, support programs for mental health, and the impact of enabling student voice and parent interventions.
The school environment can affect students’ physical and mental health. The school ethos ensures students stay in a safe and challenging educational environment while collaborating with parents, teachers, and the community (Granvik, Plenty and Modin, 2021, p.1205-1218). Addressing mental health in schools is essential as 1 in 5 young people experience behavioral and mental health disorders while 1 in 10 young people cannot function in schools as they are severely affected. (Hearth, 2022). Schools can address mental health and well-being in various ways. One way is to identify students experiencing mental health difficulties (Dimitropoulos et al., 2022, p.405-415). Students may be hesitant to go forward with troubles they may be facing; thus, their mental health issues may go undetected (Andermo et al., 2020, p.1-27). Teachers should have a good insight into a student’s background and circumstances to identify those dealing with mental issues and offer adequate support (O’Reilly et al., 2018, p.647-662). The intervention of teachers when students are in need can prevent a catastrophe from occurring.
Schools can conduct mental health training to help teachers identify students that need help (Van Poortlviet, Axford and Lloyd, 2o18). A teacher trained in the basics of mental health can use the right terminology to talk to students, get them to open up, and identify signs to watch out for (O’Reilly et al., 2018, p.450-461). Parents and students can also be taught to identify the signs and symptoms of mental health issues (Arnold et al., 2020, p.1081-1092). Schools can add mental health lessons to the curriculum to create awareness (Ryan, 2022)). Students can put posters around the school’s compound to act as a reminder that those struggling can be helped (Mansfield et al., 2021). Parents can attend mental health seminars to become aware of how to identify mental health issues (Lehtimaki et al., 2021). Educating all the community members will help identify students who are struggling easily.
Creating an open-door policy can also help students feel comfortable opening up to a staff member (Marsh and Mathur, 2020, p.67-73). Being willing to listen to students will make them feel they are catered for (Thayer, Weeks and Cook, 2021, p.286-306). Schools can hire trained professionals and voluntary student counselors to create a ‘safe space’ for students to be heard (Kourgiantakis et al., 2022, p.123-148). An open-door policy creates a safe and positive school environment for students to feel supported with their mental health issues, well-being, and learning. (Timimi Z and Timimi S, 2022, p.23-47) A school learning environment can also be improved by creating disciplinary structures for students who treat or speak to others badly (Macmillan et al., 2022, p.128-143). Teachers can create an atmosphere of positivity and support by rewarding students’ acts of kindness and understanding.
Mental health and well-being can also be addressed by teaching students the importance of physical health and how it is associated with mental health (Lourenço, 2018). Lessons dedicated to physical health, healthy eating, and managing stress will develop a positive body-mind relationship for students (Fletcher et al., 2019, p. 538-550). Encouraging social time can also help students to focus on making friends and bonding (Naidoo, 2019). Creating clubs in schools can also help students feel a sense of community and belonging (Setauket et al., 2020, p 1055-1064). Schools can develop clubs for activities such as arts and crafts, drama, dance, debate, sports, and book clubs (Salway et al., 2019, p.1-10). Organizing a wellness week can also facilitate better student well-being (Anderson et al., 2019, p.489-508). A wellness week may include hosting a sports match, organizing charity events, and hosting sessions focusing on meditation and stress-busting techniques (Ravindran et al., 2018). Incorporating various methods to address mental health issues and well-being can help to create a positive learning environment for students.
Targeted support and referrals can help improve students’ wellness and mental health (Halliday et al., 2019, p.173-196). School mental health referrals are procedures used to identify students who need help and connect them with the appropriate mental health support (McKown, 2019, p.205-221). An example of a mental health referral is the School Mental Health Referral Pathway (SMHRP). The SMHRP was funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help develop effective systems to refer youth to mental health service providers (McCance-Katz, 2018, p.1046-1048). The SMHRP supports systems that improve well-being by providing mental health support.
The multitiered system of support (MTSS) is also an SMHRP toolkit widely used among educators and mental health practitioners to provide mental Health needs to students (Malone, Wycoff and Turner, 2021). The National Centre for School Mental Health (NCSMH) strengthens policies and programs that ensure effective learning for students (Zabek et al., 2022, p.1-18). The National Insitute of Mental Health (NIMH) is another referral that facilitates the treatment of mental illnesses helping in recovery and prevention (Rahman et al., 2020, p.834-836). Physical and online student support groups are important in helping students get help and make connections (Oxley, 2021). Referral programs are important as they identify a student’s struggle and direct them to the appropriate support based on interventions conducted.
Mental health interventions that can be incorporated in schools include stress and emotional management, effective communication, and social and emotional learning programs (Franzese, Pecinka and Schwenk, 2020, p.77-81). Services offered by public schools in the United States include assessment, crisis intervention, referrals, and behavior management (Ahmad et al., 2020, p.230). School-based interventions (SBIs) positively impact a student’s life by ensuring stable mental health (Estrapala and Grieshaber, 2022). Some school-based interventions include systematic review, cyberbullying, caregivers, cognitive behavior therapy, and an autism spectrum disorder (Barkas, Armstrong and Bishop, 2022, p.1125-1140). SBIs prevent and treat medico psychological problems and disorders in students.
Staff development programs ensure mental health staff is educated on ways to serve individuals and help recruit and retain skilled workers (Mendelson, 2020, p.1081-1092). The staff develops skills, confidence, and understanding throughout the process (Scott, 2021, p.149-163). Skills learned during the process include communication skills, understanding different people’s needs and challenges, and the ability to filter and analyze information and facilitate group discussions (Sandow, 2018, p.109-125). Staff developments make it easier for staff to understand students and be able to help them (Moriles and Amparado, 2020). Cases of mental health issues can greatly reduce through the process.
Stronger school communities result when students have a voice in mental health policy decisions that affect them directly (Bourke and MacDonald, 2018, p.156-168). To ensure effective interventions, those who experience mental health issues should be heard (Chaudhary, Sudzina, and Mikkelsen, 2020, p.2894). Schools can incorporate student voices by involving them in developing mental health strategies, co-creating responses to mental health, and allowing them to highlight issues that negatively impact their mental health (Blackman et al., 2022). Involving students creates new solutions to problems and results in long-term benefits (Lareau, 2019, p.61-73). Different approaches in responding to mental health illness work for different people; therefore, it is necessary to understand the experiences of current students (Undiyaundeye, 2020, p.4-16). Strategies implemented after fully understanding students’ views are more likely to succeed (Kelso et al., 2020). Student voice can also play an important role in helping to develop student support services and create a sense of empowerment and agency for students (Franco, 2018, p.551-565). Engaging students is effective in establishing ways to reduce mental illness.
Involving parents in their children’s learning, mental health, and school activities will ensure students strive academically and in their general well-being (Clemons, 2020). Addressing mental health difficulties benefits parents, the school community, and students (Silver, 2021, p.133-146). There are three methods by which schools can engage with students; specialist engagement, targeted engagement, and universal engagement (Hainline, 2022). Specialist engagement includes multi-family groups, therapeutic interventions, and the family school model (Altinci, 2019, p.202-212). Targeted engagement includes meetings, parent/child bonding initiatives, parent outreach, and Parent Teacher Associations ( Bastiani, 2018, p.101-116). Universal engagement includes online engagement, pupil reports, and key stage information evenings (Gronholm, Nye and Michelson, 2020, p.67-73). Working with parents will ensure that they also help students deal with mental illness.
Mental Health and well-being can be reduced in schools by creating a positive environment for students, working with parents, incorporating support groups, training teachers and staff, and enabling students’ voices. Working with parents keeps them on track with the mental health of students. Various referral programs ensure students get the help they need. Training teachers and staff also help identify students struggling with mental illness. Another way of reducing mental Health is by enabling student voices to make informed decisions. Lastly, a positive school environment builds students’ confidence and helps relieve stress. Mental health illness can be reduced with the effort of teachers, parents, students, and the community.
Reference List
Ahmad, S.I., Leventhal, B.L., Nielsen, B.N. and Hinshaw, S.P. (2020) ‘Reducing mental-illness stigma via high school clubs: A matched-pair, cluster-randomized trial’, Stigma and Health, 5(2), p.230. Web.
Altinci, R.M. (2019) ‘A Case Study on Staff Development Program at a Private University in Cyprus’, Folklor/Edebiyat, 25(97), pp. 202-212.
Andermo, S., Hallgren, M., Nguyen, T.T.D., Jonsson, S., Petersen, S., Friberg, M., Romqvist, A., Stubbs, B. and Elinder, L.S. (2020) ‘School-related physical activity interventions and mental health among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, Sports medicine-open, 6(1), pp. 1-27. Web.
Anderson, M., Werner-Seidler, A., King, C., Gayed, A., Harvey, S.B. and O’Dea, B. (2019) ‘Mental health training programs for secondary school teachers: A systematic review’, School Mental Health, 11(3), pp. 489-508. Web.
Arnold, K.T., Pollack Porter, K.M., Frattaroli, S., Durham, R.E., Mmari, K., Clary, L.K. and Mendelson, T. (2020) ‘Factors that influenced the adoption of a school-based trauma-informed universal mental health intervention’, Prevention Science, 21(8), pp. 1081-1092. Web.
Barkas, L.A., Armstrong, P.A. and Bishop, G. (2022) I’s inclusion still an illusion in higher education? Exploring the curriculum through the student’s voice’, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(11), pp. 1125-1140. Web.
Bastiani, J. (2018) ‘Parents as partners: genuine progress or empty rhetoric?’, Parents and schools, pp. 101-116. Routledge. Web.
Blackman, I., Shifaza, F., McNeill, L., Willis, E., Verrall, C. and Henderson, J. (2022) ‘The presence of missed care: A staff development response’, Journal of Nursing Management. Web.
Bourke, R. and MacDonald, J. (2018) ‘Creating a space for students’ voices in an educational evaluation’, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 41(2), pp. 156-168. Web.
Chaudhary, A., Sudzina, F. and Mikkelsen, B.E. (2020) ‘Promoting healthy eating among young people—A review of the evidence of the impact of school-based interventions’, Nutrients, 12(9), p. 2894. Web.
Clemons, C. (2020) Pre-service Education Teacher Perceptions of Needs, Training and Self-efficacy for School Mental Health (Doctoral dissertation, Miami University). Web.
Dimitropoulos, G., Cullen, E., Cullen, O., Pawluk, C., McLuckie, A., Patten, S., Bulloch, A., Wilcox, G. and Arnold, P.D. (2022) ‘Teachers often see the red flags first”: perceptions of school staff regarding their roles in supporting students with mental health concerns’, School mental health, 14(2), pp. 402-415. Web.
Estrapala, S. and Grieshaber, J. (2022) ‘Putting the “Self” in Self-Regulation: Strategies for Incorporating Student Voice in Self-Regulation Interventions for Internalizing Behaviors’, TEACHING Exceptional Children. Web.
Fletcher, J., Hamilton, B., Kinner, S., Sutherland, G., King, K., Tellez, J.J., Harvey, C. and Brophy, L. (2019) ‘Working towards least restrictive environments in acute mental health wards in the context of locked door policy and practice’, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 28(2), pp. 538-550. Web.
Franco, D. (2018) ‘Trauma without borders: The necessity for school-based interventions in treating unaccompanied refugee minors’, Child and adolescent social work journal, 35(6), pp. 551-565. Web.
Franzese, J., Pecinka, K. and Schwenk, J. (2020) ‘Alternative clinical experience through academic service learning develops into a partnership for mental health rotation’, Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 15(1), pp. 77-81. Web.
Granvik Saminathen, M., Plenty, S. and Modin, B. (2021) ‘The role of academic achievement in the relationship between school ethos and adolescent distress and aggression: a study of ninth-grade students in the segregated school landscape of Stockholm’, Journal of youth and adolescence, 50(6), pp. 1205-1218. Web.
Gronholm, P.C., Nye, E. and Michelson, D. (2018) ‘Stigma related to targeted school-based mental health interventions: a systematic review of qualitative evidence’, Journal of affective disorders, 240, pp. 17-26. Web.
Marsh, R.J. and Mathur, S.R. (2020) ‘Mental Health in schools: An overview of multitiered systems of support’, Intervention in School and Clinic, 56(2), pp. 67-73. Web.
Hainline, A.D. (2022) ‘The Effect of Universal Design for Learning on Student Engagement and Achievement in a Southwest Missouri School District’. Web.
Halliday, A.J., Kern, M.L., Garrett, D.K. and Turnbull, D.A. (2019) ‘The student voice in well-being: A case study of participatory action research in positive education’, Educational Action Research, 27(2), pp. 173-196. Web.
Hearth, S. (2022) Why does mental Health need to be addressed in schools? [expert guide!], Wellbeing Port. Web.
Kelso, A., Linder, S., Reimers, A.K., Klug, S.J., Alesi, M., Scifo, L., Borrego, C.C., Monteiro, D. and Demetriou, Y. (2020) ‘Effects of school-based interventions on motivation towards physical activity in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 51. Web.
Kourgiantakis, T., Sewell, K.M., McNeil, S., Lee, E., Logan, J., Kuehl, D., McCormick, M., Adamson, K. and Kirvan, A. (2022) ‘Social work education and training in mental health, addictions, and suicide: A scoping review’, Journal of Social Work Education, 58(1), pp. 123-148. Web.
Lareau, A. (2019) ‘Parent involvement in schooling: A dissenting view’, In school, family and community interaction, pp. 61-73. Routledge. Web.
Lehtimaki, S., Martic, J., Wahl, B., Foster, K.T. and Schwalbe, N. (2021) ‘A systematic overview of the evidence on digital mental health interventions for adolescents and young people’, JMIR mental health, 8(4). Web.
Lourenço, M. (2018) ‘Internationalizing teacher education curricula: opportunities for academic staff development’, On the Horizon. Web.
Malone, C.M., Wycoff, K. and Turner, E.A. (2021) ‘Applying an MTSS framework to address racism and promote mental Health for racial/ethnic minoritized youth’, Psychology in the Schools. Web.
Mansfield, K.L., Puntis, S., Soneson, E., Cipriani, A., Geulayov, G. and Fazel, M. (2021) ‘Study protocol: the OxWell school survey investigated social, emotional, and behavioral factors associated with mental health and well-being’, BMJ Open, 11(12). Web.
McCance-Katz, E.F. (2018) ‘The substance abuse and mental health services administration (SAMHSA): new directions’, Psychiatric services, 69(10), pp. 1046-1048. Web.
McKown, C. (2019) ‘Challenges and opportunities in the applied assessment of student social and emotional learning’, Educational Psychologist, 54(3), pp. 205-221. Web.
Moriles, J.M. and Amparado, M.A.P. (2020) ‘Acculturation of Staff Nurses: Enhancement of Staff Development Program’. Web.
Naidoo, P. (2019) ‘Perceptions of teachers and school management teams of the leadership roles of public-school principals’, South African Journal of Education, 39(2). Web.
O’Reilly, M., Adams, S., Whiteman, N., Hughes, J., Reilly, P. and Dogra, N. (2018) ‘Whose responsibility is adolescent mental Health in the U.K.? Perspectives of key stakeholders’, School mental health, 10(4), pp. 450-461. Web.
O’Reilly, M., Svirydzenka, N., Adams, S. and Dogra, N. (2018) ‘Review of mental health promotion interventions in schools’, Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 53(7), pp. 647-662. Web.
Oxley, L., 2021. Alternative approaches to behavior management in schools: diverging from a focus on punishment (Doctoral dissertation, University of York). Web.
Macmillan, P., Cham.Beames, J.R., Johnston, L., O’Dea, B., Torok, M., Boydell, K., Christensen, H. and Werner-Seidler, A. (2022) ‘Addressing school students’ mental health: Perspectives of secondary school teachers and counselors’, International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 10(1), pp. 128-143.Web.
Rahman, A., Naslund, J.A., Betancourt, T.S., Black, C.J., Bhan, A., Bryan, W., Chen, H., Gaynes, B.N., Restrepo, C.G., Gouveia, L. and Hamdani, S.U. (2020) ‘The NIMH global mental health research community and COVID-19’, The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(10), pp. 834-836. Web.
Ravindran, A.V., Herrera, A., da Silva, T.L., Henderson, J., Castrillo, M.E. and Kutcher, S. (2018) ‘Evaluating the benefits of a youth mental health curriculum for students in Nicaragua: a parallel-group, controlled pilot investigation’, Global Mental Health, 5. Web.
Ryan, L.M. (2022) ‘The ALWD Guide to Legal Citation: One Small Step toward Wellness in Legal Education’. Web.
Salway, R., Emm-Collison, L., Sebire, S.J., Thompson, J.L., Lawlor, D.A. and Jago, R. (2019) ‘The association of school-related active travel and active after-school clubs with children’s physical activity: a cross-sectional study in 11-year-old U.K. children’, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1), pp. 1-10. Web.
Sandow, S. (2018) ‘Parents and Schools: Developing a Partnership Approach to Advocacy’, Advocacy, Self-Advocacy and Special Needs, pp. 109-125. Web.
Scott, G. (2021) ‘Accessing the student voice: Australia’s CEQuery project’, Analysing Student Feedback in Higher Education, pp. 149-163. Routledge. Web.
Setauket, S., Turnbull, N., Bhajan, T. and Wanchai, A. (2020) ‘Improving mental health literacy in adolescents: a systematic review of supporting intervention studies’, Tropical Medicine & International Health, 25(9), pp. 1055-1064. Web.
Silver, M. (2021) ‘Motivation, engagement, and outcomes in curriculum development in a specialist SEND School in England’, Support for Learning, 36(1), pp. 133-146. Web.
Thayer, A.J., Weeks, M.R. and Cook, C.R. (2021) ‘Dual factor mental health model: Validation through mixture modeling and cut scores’, Psychology in the Schools, 58(2), pp. 286-306. Web.
Timimi, Z. and Timimi, S. (2022) ‘Psychiatrisation of school children: Secondary school teachers’ beliefs and practices on mental health and illness’, In Troubled person industries, pp. 23-47. Web.
Undiyaundeye, F. (2020) ‘Achieving Quality Assurance through the Support of Parent-Teachers Association in Secondary School Administration in Ogoja Educational Zone, Cross River State’, Nigeria. Journal of Popular Education in Africa, 4(5), pp. 4-16. Web.
Van Poortlviet, M., Axford, N. and Lloyd, J. (2018) ‘Working with parents to support children’s learning: guidance report’. Web.
Zabek, F., Lyons, M.D., Alwani, N., Taylor, J.V., Brown-Meredith, E., Cruz, M.A. and Southall, V.H. (2022) ‘Roles and Functions of School Mental Health Professionals Within Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems’, School mental health, pp. 1-18. Web.