Youth-Driven Recommendations to Increase Mental Well-Being in Schools

/ Prevention & Early Prevention, School Engagement & Success, Workforce Development / By

Content provided by Cal-HOSA students responding to the challenges they face on a daily basis, and how Cal-HOSA offers them hope through its early detection, prevention, and intervention program. Youth Speaking Up for Youth Mental Health Day provided a space for youth people to give voice to and advocate for youth mental wellness. Recommendations emerged from this event on reducing stigma and increasing the dialogue around mental health issues.

Mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression (and related symptoms), have increased among students in recent years. Individuals with an untreated mental illness have a life expectancy of less than 10–15 years, compared to the general population. Young adults, exposed to accumulated risk factors, have a 75% probability of developing a mental disorder by age 24. Detecting early warning signs of trauma and other risk factors associated with mental health in middle and high school students can improve their social-emotional learning, including individual and social awareness, empathy for others, self-management, healthy relationships, and responsible decision-making skills. Early detection and intervention serves as a protective sphere of influence to mitigate psychological distress or angst and to overcome past traumas. What follows are five overarching themes and 30 statements from students as recommendations to improve youth mental well-being.

RECOMMENDATION 1: WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

    • Require (mandate) training for teachers/educators, staff, and students about mental health using mental health first aid requirement with certification.

    • Allocate resources and user-friendly information to support teacher and staff training.

    • Ensure student leadership and community engagement opportunities have the potential to increase students’ motivation to serve others.

    • Allow participation of children and youths in workforce development activities that give them a meaningful role and sense of purpose in the area of mental health.

    • Build youths’ motivation (self-efficacy) in their college and career readiness to work with special populations (e.g., children with autism).

    • Encourage children and youths to participate in organized community-focused work-based learning activities advocating for funding to support school-based mental health programs.

RECOMMENDATION 2: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH: IDENTIFICATION OF RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

    • Develop whole-school approaches and strategies to detect early onset of stress, toxic stressors, and pressure from home that could lead to anxiety and self-harm.

    • Adopt whole-school approaches that highlight the negative impact of stigma and shame associated with mental health, and behaviors that reinforce stigma and shame.

    • Identify specific aspects of social media that promote fear, bullying, and trauma among children and youth that feel marginalized.

    • Develop an early intervention and bullying policy for schools to protect children and prevent fatalities.

    • Educate teachers and school staff on risk factors associated with mental illness and suicide and stimulate open discussions among students, educators, and school administration.

    • Encourage thorough discussion around this topic to fully understand its impact on youth from diverse backgrounds.

RECOMMENDATION 3: STRENGTH-BASED SOLUTIONS: INCLUSION, RELATIONSHIPS, AND PEER NETWORKS

    • Provide access to adult mentors and role models to positively influence children and youths to gain self- esteem, self-efficacy, and relationships with peers, teachers, and parents.

    • Encourage dialogue during school activities among parents and families that have similar experiences to dispel some of the negative attitudes and behaviors toward mental health issues.

    • Promote communication and connections among students with similar life experiences, creating a sense of community and belonging that leads to positive physical and mental wellbeing and development.

    • Develop school curriculum and classroom instruction that promotes self-discovery of personal and cultural strengths and core values (e.g., respect, empathy, courage, and social responsibility) build resiliency in children and youth.

    • Foster peer-to-peer support groups to employ acceptance among those struggling with issues related to intrinsic motivation and resilient behavior in children and youth.

    • Support social inclusion in schools by providing equal access to opportunities regardless of children and youths’ social, cultural, physical, demographic, sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics.

RECOMMENDATION 4: SAFE SPACES AND SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE)

    • Make prevention and early intervention in K-12 a priority or sense of urgency and not another missed opportunity.

    • Dedicate time before, during, and after school to raise awareness and promote positive mental health.

    • Encourage an open-minded, open-to-learn and listen, caring and social supportive environment to positively influence individual and group wellness.

    • Engage in systemic and deliberate training for teachers to create safe spaces for children and youths to feel motivated to talk about life experiences and make meaningful connections.

    • Create and promote welcoming and safe spaces where students can practice mindfulness activities.

    • Develop safe space training for teachers and school staff with a focus on the LGBTQ community.

    • Dedicate time away from academic lessons to engage children and youths in conversations about mental health by establishing a “mental health day” in schools for stronger academic performance and achievement.

RECOMMENDATION 5: YOUTH-DESIGNED STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS

    • Ensure children and youths play a significant role in designing strategies that guide school-based mental health programs.

    • Create opportunities for youths to participate in higher-level discussions and decision-making on what matters most to them.

    • Promote children and youths’ lived and life experiences through storytelling and hip-hop as a strategy aligned with English language arts.

    • Empower students with the knowledge and skills that will help them detect early and deal with mental health issues of their own and their families and friends.

    • Establish community engagement opportunities for children and youths to better understand the challenges that impact the lives of vulnerable populations, and design interventions to overcome those challenges.