Is there a student that you are worried about?
- Have they stopped saying making eye contact and saying hello when they board the bus or stop by the cafeteria?
- Do you notice a change of appearance or do they look different when they come to the front office?
- Have they stopped participating in class or turning in their homework?
School staff are often the first people to notice even the smallest change in students. How do you know if you your concerns are correct?
You don't have to be a mental health professional to help.
Students just need one safe trusted adult who is willing to notice the change, willing to ask if the student if they need help, or willing to offer to find them someone on campus to help.
You don't know if or why a student has chosen you as their trusted adult, but in this role, your support is invaluable.
According to the article, University of San Diego - The Importance of Mental Health in Schools: A Guide for Educators building strong relationships between staff and students is crucial first step for students to reach out for help. "When students feel safe with their teachers, counselors, coaches and other adults at school, they are more likely to ask for help when they need it."
Here are a few simple ways that any school staff member can support a struggling student and help them to find help.
How Can School Staff Support Students with their Mental Health Concerns?
The ability to recognize and respond to student mental health concerns is a crucial responsibility for teachers and can make a significant impact on their overall well-being.
Here are some additional strategies from the Council for Exceptional Children that can help educators to improve student mental health in schools:
- Familiarize Yourself With Common Signs
Teachers should familiarize themselves with common mental health concerns and the signs that they could be emerging to identify students who may be struggling.
- Common warning signs include significant behavior changes, withdrawal from social interactions, persistent sadness or irritability, difficulty concentrating, declining academic performance, and more.
- Please continue down the page for information on additional warning signs for mental health concerns and suicide.
- Maintain Open Communication
Always do your best to foster a supportive and trusting relationship with your students. Encourage open communication by creating a safe, non-judgmental space where students feel comfortable expressing their feelings and concerns.
- Regularly check in with your students and be attentive to any changes in their demeanor or behavior. Children might not be free to express themselves at home, so having a safe space at school can be life-changing.
- Collaborate With Other School Professionals
As a teacher, it will be beneficial to establish a collaborative relationship with school counselors, psychologists, and other support staff to ensure a comprehensive approach to student well-being. They can provide valuable insights, assessments, and recommendations for students needing additional assistance.
- Never hesitate to reach out to your support team. Even if you aren’t sure if a student is having a significant issue, other professionals will have additional insight and can lead you in the right direction.
- Educate Yourself on Resources
Stay informed about emerging mental health resources and support services within your school or community.
- Practice Empathy and Understanding
When students confide in you or exhibit signs of mental health concerns, responding with empathy and understanding is crucial. Listen actively, validate their experiences, and assure them that seeking help is a sign of strength. Offer support and reassurance that they are not alone in their struggles.
- Remember: While teachers can play a vital role in recognizing and responding to student mental health concerns, they are not expected to diagnose or provide therapy. The goal is to create a caring and supportive environment that encourages students to seek help from trained professionals.
How Can You Create a Supportive Environment to Promote Student Wellbeing?
Creating a supportive classroom environment is crucial for fostering positive learning experiences and promoting students’ overall well-being. Creating a safe and supportive space makes students more likely to confide in a teacher or licensed professional if they’re struggling.
Here are some strategies that can help educators recognize and respond to student mental health concerns:
- Establish a Rapport - Build positive relationships with your students by genuinely showing interest, care, and respect for each individual. Go out of your way to get to know their interests and strengths.
- Set Clear Expectations - Establish clear rules, routines, and guidelines for behavior and academic performance. Communicate these expectations consistently and reinforce positive behavior.
- Recognize Varying Learning Styles - Offer a variety of instructional strategies and resources to cater to diverse learning styles and abilities. Differentiate instruction to meet individual needs, and provide timely feedback to encourage growth and improvement.
- Foster a Growth Mindset - Encourage students to embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and believe in their ability to grow and succeed. Emphasize effort, persistence, and resilience as essential components of learning.
- Recognize and Celebrate Achievements - Acknowledge and celebrate the achievements, both academic and personal, of your students. Provide positive reinforcement, praise their efforts, and create a culture of appreciation.
- Involve Parents and Guardians - Maintain open lines of communication with parents or guardians and regularly update them on student progress. Do your best to involve them in their child’s education through conferences, newsletters, or other forms of communication.
- Promote Collaboration and Teamwork - Create opportunities for students to work together, collaborate on projects, and learn from one another. Foster a sense of community and teamwork within the classroom.
- Make Yourself Available Outside of Class - Some students may feel more comfortable confiding in a teacher outside of class time. You can set up “office hours” or designate your room as a “drop-in” room, where students can use a resource whenever they need.
What are the Warning Signs to Look For?
Warning Signs: Mental Health Concerns
Knowing the warning signs and recognizing emerging mental health concerns is important to ensure that students are able to access supports when in need of help.
Here are MHA Signs and Symptoms of MH Concerns to look for:
- Problems with concentration, memory or ability to think clearly
- Changes in appetite
- Feeling sad, empty, hopeless or worthless
- Loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy
- Excessive worry
- Irritability or restlessness
- Changes in sleep
- Angry outbursts
- Not wanting to be around people or take part in activities
- Hearing or seeing things that other people don't
- Extreme panic
- Onset of new behaviors or rituals that are repeated
- Mood swings or frequent shifts in energy
- Changes in how they dress (ie. long pants and shirts in hot weather or hats all of a sudden could be signs of hiding signs of self injury like hair pulling or cutting)
10 Common Warning Signs in Teens and Young Adults
Warning Signs: Suicide
According to the American Pediatric Association, most youth who die by suicide show some Warning Signs and Behavioral Changes. Here are some of the many common warning signs to look for:
- Talking about killing oneself, feeling hopeless, feeling like a burden or having no reason to live
- Mood changes, including depression, anxiety and agitation
- Behavioral changes:
- Increased substance use
- Withdrawing from activities
- Isolating from family and friends
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Giving away prized possessions
- Irritability
If you or someone that you know is experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please dial 911 immediately.
If you or someone that you know is struggling emotionally, experiencing an issue with drugs or alcohol, or having a hard time, please call or text 988 to connect with the San Diego Access and Crisis Line.
Where Can I Learn More?
Mental Health First Aid at Work
Mental Health First Aid at Work is a workplace mental health training program that teaches participants how to notice and support an individual who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use concern or crisis and connect them with the appropriate employee resources. Mental Health First Aid at Work is a skills-based, experiential and evidence-based practice. To learn more, click here.
Supporting Student Wellness
The best way to support student mental health and wellness is to promote positive school culture and climate by creating safe and collaborative school and classroom environments. Social Emotional Learning curriculum integrated throughout the academic day supports the social and emotional well being of our students. CASEL defines social emotional learning (SEL) as "the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to understand and manage emotions, set and accomplish positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. There are 5 core competencies of SEL, as defined by CASEL: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social-Awareness, Relationship Skills & Responsible Decision Making. Educators can utilize the curriculum and lesson plans listed below to begin incorporating SEL into classrooms, schools, and homes & communities.
Mental Health in the Classroom
Second Step
Second Step is a program rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) that helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to encourage children to thrive. More than just a classroom curriculum, Second Step's holistic approach helps create a more empathetic society by providing education professionals, families, and the larger community with tools to enable them to take an active role in the social-emotional growth and safety of today's children. Contact your school counselor to access your school's second step curriculum, available for Preschool to 8th grades. Second step kits are also available through the Counseling & Guidance Department lending library.
KidsHealth.org
KidsHealth in the Classroom offers educators free health-related lesson plans for PreK through 12th grade. Each Teacher's Guide includes discussion questions, classroom activities and extensions, printable handouts, and quizzes and answer keys all aligned to National Health Education Standards. imHealthy with Michael Phelps are lesson plans on emotional health created with the Michael Phelps Foundation. Click below to access lessons by grade spans:
MentalHealth.gov
For Educators - Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems. MentalHealth.gov lists some ways you can help students and their families.
Promoting Staff Wellness
In that same article, University of San Diego - The Importance of Mental Health in Schools: A Guide for Educators it's also noted that it's important that the adults who support students must also ensure that they take care of their own physical, emotional and mental health needs.
"Educators can't pour from an empty cup. Encourage practices that support teacher's mental health, such as providing access to counseling services and other wellness resources."
As you give to support students, please consider the resources available to District staff to promote staff self care and well being.
California Schools VEBA (VEBA)
California Schools VEBA offers a variety of health care and wellness resources to District employees.
At a glance, here’s what you have access to as a member:
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VEBA Advocacy: Think of the VEBA Advocacy Team as your health care concierge. They provide support for scheduling appointments, bill payment, quality of care, and more. Available Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm PST at 888-276-0250 or fill out the contact form here.
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Care Navigation: VEBA Care Navigators are holistic nurses offering free, confidential services including health and well-being assessments, customized plans, and follow-up appointments to monitor progress.
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Kindbody: Fertility and Menopause Support: Kindbody offers end-to-end fertility services and menopause support through dedicated care navigation, clinical guidance, digital tools, and education for VEBA members.
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Whole Health Coaching: Whole Health Coaches help create personalized health plans based on individual needs, helping members identify goals, strengths, and values to achieve their health goals.
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Optum Emotional Well-being Dedicated Consultants: VEBA members have free, confidential access to Optum’s consultants, including support for improving relationships, navigating life events, leadership training, and work/life balance. Click here to create an Optum account and book your first appointment.
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Chiropractic/Acupuncture Benefits: Provided by Optum Health with over 2,700 California providers, offering unlimited visits (subject to medical necessity), authorized X-rays, 100% coverage for durable medical equipment (up to $50), and copays aligned with the member’s PCP office visit copay. Contact the VEBA Advocacy team at 888-276-0250 or fill out their contact form here to learn more.
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Expanded VEBA Resources: VEBA members have access to virtual, on-demand, and in-person wellness resources, including on-demand videos, cooking and nutrition classes, mental well-being, stress management, and movement classes. View our monthly class calendar here.
Want to learn more about the VEBA resources and programs? Log in to the MyVEBA portal or contact the VEBA Advocacy team: 888-276-0250 or fill out the contact form here. Available Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm PST.
Employee Assistance Program:
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential service designed to help employees resolve personal and workplace challenges. Available through Optum Health, the EAP provides professional, short-term, problem-focused counseling for a broad range of issues and concerns such as:
- Counseling Services
- Work Issues
- Emotional Well-Being
- Parenting
- Child and elder care support
- Substance Abuse and Recovery
- Money Management
- Financial and Legal Advice
Employees and dependents enrolled in a district medical plan are automatically enrolled for access to EAP services. This program provides five counseling visits per incident with a licensed/certified network therapist.
Services can be accessed either by phone or online. When accessing services online, you can check benefits information, submit an online request for services, search the directory of clinicians and access information for hundreds of everyday work and life issues.