Mental Health in Education

Over the last couple of years, mental health has become much more prioritized in schools. Research shows that students have experienced a decline in mental wellness over the last three to five years, citing various different reasons, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and increases in gun violence. These hits on the mental wellness of students can impact how well they do in their classes and how they interact with their peers, among other things. Thankfully, people are trying to make it easier for students to access mental health care in schools, which can help professionals find early signs of mental health problems to try and help students as much as they can.

Psychologists can help students feel more comfortable speaking about issues they may have.

Personally, I believe that the mental wellbeing of students is not brought up as much as it should be in the American education system. And while it is being improved, there is still a lot to be done to ensure students have proper mental health care. My high school, for example, has some school psychologists in the building to help students with their needs if teachers or other staff members suspect something is wrong, which is a very good thing to have in a school! However, the office for the psychologists was not advertised to students, and most students didn't even know we had a school psychologist. In my opinion, this poor management counteracts how great it is that my school had a psychologist - why hire a trained professional who can help students if they need it when most kids don't even know about them? There are many solutions to this problem, but the main one I find myself focusing on is having the school tell their students that there is a doctor that can help them however they may need it, even if it's just to talk to them. Having a psychologist in the building is not enough to make a difference if they are not known or recognized. However, changing this can help students feel comfortable enough to go to the doctor and speak with them on their own, and is one small step educators can take to help students with any issues they may have.