About School Mental Health
Research shows that fostering mental health in schools leads to higher academic performance, supports the development of the whole child and helps them grow into productive and successful adults.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) refers to a set of traumatic experiences that many people face in childhood. This trauma can impact how children perform in the classroom as well as have lifelong adverse health effects.
Anxiety
Anxiety is an understandable reaction to a stressful event and can be a healthy emotion. But for some people, it can become much more pervasive and interfere with thoughts, behavior, and daily activities. Anxiety disorders require identification and intervention.
Assessing Mental Health in Schools
It is essential that schools are aware of the warning signs for mental health problems, how to get more information and how to access support. This assessment can be both informal through teacher observation, as well as by using standardized assessments or whole school evaluation such as The School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation (SHAPE).
Bullying Prevention
Bullying is both an outcome and a cause directly related to student’s social, emotional, and mental health. Understanding how and why bullying occurs can help schools to set up prevention plans and bullying solutions.
Co-occuring Conditions That Can Impact Mental Health
There are other conditions that can coexist with mental health issues and increase stress of students. For example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to take a holistic approach to student health it is important to recognize these conditions, their impact on students and the most effective support strategies.
COVID-19 Supports
Information, guidelines and resources to help support mental health during a global pandemic.
Resilience
Resiliency is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant stress. It is the counterbalance of trauma. Learn the strategies that help to build resilience.
School Safety & Crisis Response
Issues around school safety in the current climate, have significant implications for our students’ social, emotional, and mental health. In addition, we cannot get to the root cause of school violence without addressing mental health.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health
Implementing strategies for maintaining mental health for all students and staff is key. It can prevent more serious mental health issues, determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Suicide Prevention and Awareness in Schools
By adding suicide awareness and prevention to a school's curriculum, students are better able to handle and address suicidal thoughts or intentions. Suicide prevention is not only a legislative requirement in many states (including Indiana) but can save lives.
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