Mental Health Within the Education System: Evaluating Policies and Controversies
American students face increasing amounts of academic stress and societal pressure. Why are our mental health systems in schools failing to support them?
ARJUN GARG
Teen Mental Health Counseling, iStock 2024
The student mental health crisis is escalating rapidly, becoming one of the most urgent challenges facing our education system today. It is evident that academic pressure, societal challenges, and post-pandemic stressors are clearly affecting these children: one out of every five students develops a mental illness during their school years. In response to such challenges, policies at the state and federal levels aim to address the challenges; however, their impact waxes and wanes on funding allocation, implementation, and, most importantly, equal access to care.
The COVID-19 pandemic made already existing mental health challenges even worse. Rates of persistent sadness and suicidal ideation among adolescents increased, as did the number of emergency department (ED) visits due to mental health concerns, while mental health service utilization did not keep pace. Mental health service use among youth with Medicaid and CHIP declined by 25% during the pandemic, due in part to disruptions in in-person care and a worsening shortage of mental health professionals. This is where school-based mental health programs fill an important gap, offering services that are accessible and immediate for students.
Policies such as SAMHSA's Project AWARE and the Department of Education's School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program have paved the way for increasing support for mental health in schools. These programs expanded access to behavioral health resources and Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems. Despite the potential, challenges remain in ensuring funding reaches the schools and students who need it most.
The Biden Administration and key national organizations have focused greater attention on the behavioral health of children. In December 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy issued an advisory on youth mental health, recommending that states provide more resources and technical assistance for school mental health systems. Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children's Hospital Association declared a national emergency for child and adolescent mental health, urging federal and state policymakers to make it a priority. Such attention to the mental health issue reflects an increasing awareness that public schools constitute a point of critical intervention into the mental health needs of young people.
Virginia is a case study in the successful utilization of legislation to address mental health in education. The Virginia Code Titles 9.1, 22.1, and 23.1 focus on the mental health awareness training for school staff, protocols for handling student mental health crises, and the creation of supportive environments in schools. The Marcus Alert system, instituted under Title 9.1, was meant to provide appropriate responses to individuals in mental health crises, often diverting them from law enforcement to behavioral health services. This system puts a large emphasis on mobile crisis response teams, reducing the use of force against students, and making comprehensive crisis services more accessible.
Title 22.1 provides the mandate for mental health awareness training for school employees to identify and respond appropriately to student needs, early identification and appropriate response to students' needs call for this training. Additionally, this legislation includes the mandate of mental health education incorporation in health courses in schools, giving students the necessary knowledge and resources to prioritize their mental health. Title 23.1 work with higher education institutions and requires them to develop policies on supporting students with suicidal tendencies, including residence hall staff training, postvention services, and partnering with local mental health services.
These policy initiatives are key in increasing the access to mental health services, reducing risks, and increasing the range of both mental health and academic functioning for students. These initiatives also increase mental health support at school for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, or students who may not otherwise have access to such services. Comprehensive school mental health systems are critical in the support of prevention, early identification, and provision of services and treatment for students with mental health needs. These systems are particularly fundamental in efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in access to mental health care, which have been increased during the pandemic.
Funding remains the significant barrier to offering mental health services to students. Many schools are struggling to engage active mental health providers and achieve recommended student-to-counselor ratios. For that reason, 26 states have passed legislation in an effort to provide more financial support for mental health services at school. Examples include California's AB 133, which established the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative and provided grant funding for school-linked behavioral health services.
Providing mental health education and resources for school staff and students is another critical area. Seventeen states have enacted laws requiring mental health training for school staff. One example of this is Virginia’s SB 1288/2299, which requires school counselors to receive training in mental health to be licensed. States have enacted laws that supported more resources in mental health awareness and education for students. While the implementation of policies is often at the discretion of the local school district, states can provide guidance for these policies through requirements and recommendations.
Other school safety and mental health have also become a point of focus. Controlling physical access and the use of security cameras have been popular approaches to improving physical security. However, supportive school communities built through counselors, restorative practices, and positive relationships have shown more effectiveness in improving school safety and student mental health.
While progress is being made, barriers to funding, implementation, and awareness still exist. Policymakers and education leaders need to secure additional mental health funding at state and federal levels through lobbying, grants, and partnerships that recognize schools as a priority. Collaboration with mental health professionals will be necessary in the creation of evidence-based programs, assessment of their effectiveness, and adapting to student needs. Schools should incorporate mental health education, start awareness campaigns, and hold workshops to encourage open discussion. The construction of a supportive educational environment involves investing in counseling resources, student support systems, and relationship building.
Now is the time to act–educators, policymakers, and communities must work together to make sure every student has access to the mental health support they need.
Saphron Initiative staff and guest contributors often express their views in pieces on Edisco. These pieces do not constitute an organizational endorsement of the viewpoints within. Our goal is to encourage and uplift student voices and we respect diverse opinions. We encourage all readers to conduct further research and develop informed opinions on the issues discussed.
