From Insight to Action: District Leaders on Strengthening Student Mental Health Supports in Schools

As another school year quickly approaches, it’s important for districts to consider the role student mental health plays in a successful school year. According to the CDC, the number of adolescents reporting poor mental health is increasing, with four in 10 students reporting having persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness in 2023. Early intervention and proactive mental health support are essential to addressing mental health issues so students do not face long-term effects, including negative impacts on their academic performance.

Even as mental health concerns rise, districts face mounting challenges in supporting students, including limited access to resources, funding, and grants, as well as shortages of trained professionals.

Vector Solutions partnered with school district leaders from across the country for a panel discussion about these issues and challenges, sharing their insights and strategies. Panelists included:

• Kiera Soler – Assistant Coordinator of School Culture PreK-12 at the Consolidated School District of New Britain in Connecticut
• Heather Bushelman – MTSS Coordinator at Boone County Schools in Kentucky
• Elizabeth Styles – Director of Teaching & Learning for Princeton City Schools in Ohio

Trends Impacting Student Mental Health in K-12 Schools

Students’ surrounding environments can impact their mental health. During the panel discussion, the district leaders discussed some of the most common trends impacting student mental health, including social media, post-pandemic trauma, economic stress, identity and belonging issues, and academic pressure.

Social media: Excessive screen time can contribute to anxiety and depression. It can also negatively impact students’ sleep and can promote social comparison. Students often have access to multiple social media platforms, which can expose them to unrealistic lifestyles and increase their desire for instant gratification. Additionally, social media can increase the risk of cyberbullying.

Post-pandemic trauma: Many students are still working to recover from trauma and isolation stemming from the pandemic. This includes learning or relearning how to interact and socialize with peers. As a result, schools are seeing more referrals for students needing emotional and behavioral support.

Economic stressors: Panelists said many families are experiencing financial difficulties and that students are internalizing the adults’ stress. Economic stressors can impact parents’ mental health, which can then affect the children.

Identity and belonging challenges: Students are increasingly exploring their identities. Panelists also noted increases in bullying and political polarization, which can make students feel excluded and disconnected from one another.

Academic pressure: The academic pressure students experience from outside sources or that they put upon themselves can significantly impact their mental health. The panelists said that at some point, students are going to struggle, so it is important that they learn how to cope with those feelings.

“Academic pressure and the impact it has on mental health for students is very, very, real, and I think oftentimes it gets overlooked because of how students can carry themselves on the outside,” said Styles. “But the pressure they are putting on themselves on the inside has become a great concern. We see students unravel and really start to struggle, especially once they get out of school and (into) post-secondary (education).”

Four Strategies To Support Students’ Mental Health

Given these factors affecting students’ mental health, it’s essential for schools to offer resources and adopt effective strategies to best support their students. The panelists shared some of their top strategies:

1. Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS): The MTSS framework is a common approach that many districts use to support students academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. It typically involves three tiers of support: core instruction, targeted interventions, and intensive interventions. Panelists said a system that integrates social and emotional learning programs, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), attendance initiatives, and mental health services within the MTSS framework can help districts effectively support students’ mental well-being.
2. A whole-child approach: Districts should ensure school staff members and mental health providers clearly understand how to support the whole child. This means understanding both their specific role and how their services align with broader systems within the school and district. Adopting a whole-child approach, instead of working in silos, will help the district provide coordinated supports where academic, emotional, and behavioral interventions are all aligned.
3. Student voice and involvement: Districts can prioritize student agency by conducting student surveys, organizing advisory councils with students, and involving students in selecting their own behavioral interventions. Involving students in interventions is important, especially at the secondary level, to help ensure increased buy-in from those students.“We are really trying to have our students tell us what they are strong at, and also what they need for growth, for SEL, for behaviors,” said Bushelman.
4. Proactive (rather than reactive) mental health and wellness support: Instead of waiting for a crisis, panelists recommended that districts focus on prevention and early intervention by implementing regular wellness activities and strategies. “Some of the strategies could be a check-in and check-out. It could also be a behavior contract or a visual reminder,” said Soler.

Other strategies might include calm-down spaces or mindfulness rooms. Soler said teachers can also use curriculum and videos such as Vector Solutions’ student courses during advisory periods to teach SEL skills and address issues like vaping or bullying. Proactively aligning school initiatives with mental wellness supports will help districts address mental health concerns before a crisis occurs.

How Districts Can Gain Stakeholder Support for Mental Health Initiatives

All of these strategies are great approaches, but to be successful, districts will need stakeholder buy-in. Schools and districts can tailor their communications about mental wellness strategies to each stakeholder group. This ensures that whether they’re talking to teachers, administrators, or families, the communications will help stakeholders understand the value of these strategies. In addition to open communication, district leaders recommended the following strategies for gaining buy-in:

1. Share and use data transparently: Sharing the results of mental wellness initiatives with stakeholders can help demonstrate the impact, show accountability, and guide ongoing improvement.
2. Normalize mental health conversations: Making discussions about mental health routine and visible helps reinforce that mental health is a universal and shared experience.
3. Offer opportunities for voice and participation: In addition to conducting surveys and organizing advisory councils, it’s also important for districts to act on student and stakeholder feedback and communicate about that action. This builds trust and engagement among students and other stakeholders.
4. Invest in education and training: Providing professional development for staff on trauma-informed practices, adolescent development, and crisis de-escalation helps make these issues more approachable in the classroom. Educating students about mental health and well-being will also go a long way toward supporting their mental health.

Mental Health Resources from Vector Solutions for Schools

Vector Solutions’ Student Safety & Wellness Program for students in grades 6-12 provides video-based courses covering important safety, wellness, and social and emotional learning topics. Courses are designed to positively impact school culture, support student wellness initiatives, and keep the community safe. Courses include:

• Mental Health & Well-Being
• Substance Misuse Prevention
• Healthy Relationships
• Personal & Community Safety
• Career Readiness & Life Skills

All courses are CASEL-aligned, include facilitator’s guides and lesson plans, and can be translated into multiple languages. Courses can be customized to reflect district-specific policies, and they include assessments, pre- and post-course surveys, and reporting to measure the courses’ impact and provide insights about students’ attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, and experiences.

About The Panelists

Heather Bushelman is the MTSS Coordinator for Boone County Schools in Kentucky. She has been in education for 21 years, sixteen of which were spent as a school counselor. Most recently, she served as the Kentucky Department of Education’s Coordinator for Comprehensive School Counseling.

Keira Soler is Assistant Coordinator of School Culture PreK-12 at the Consolidated School District of New Britain in Connecticut. In this capacity, she collaborates closely with school and department administrators to implement inclusive cultures and multi-tiered systems of supports for all students, emphasizing social-emotional learning curriculum and behavioral interventions.

Elizabeth Styles is Director of Teaching & Learning for Princeton City Schools in Ohio. During her career, Styles has spearheaded the evaluation and continuous coaching of secondary principals. She led a district-wide initiative on Kagan Cooperative Learning structures, integrating collaborative teaching methodologies across K-12 education, and has also orchestrated personalized learning opportunities for staff through Viking University, focusing on student engagement and staff wellness.