BASD directors: Schools need resources to support students’ mental health needs
There is a growing need for school districts to support the mental health needs of their students. Increasing trends in youth anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidality are troubling, and it has become apparent that schools must be ready to provide services that promote the well-being and mental health of our children. The Bellefonte Area School District is no exception, and we are asking the General Assembly to prioritize efforts to promote the mental and emotional health of both students and staff.
Addressing student mental health needs was a rising concern even before the emergence of COVID-19. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, before the pandemic, “mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. having a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.”
Concerns regarding mental health among children and teenagers were intensified by the pandemic. Recent incidents of school violence have brought further attention to mental health issues and the urgency of addressing these situations. In many cases, schools become the primary support for these students. Superintendent Tammie Burnaford notes that, “We continue to see students in crisis and an increase in students’ disciplinary issues. There doesn’t seem to be more funding coming to our schools for mental health wellness, but we are trying to gear up our understanding of how our staff can help students.”
Our public schools need to provide varied mental health services, and these must be built on a strong foundation of effective school programs, coupled with access to trained professionals, including administrators and educators, school psychologists, school social workers, school counselors, and other mental health professionals.
Like most school districts in the state, the Bellefonte Area School District is dealing with extraordinary challenges. Building and maintaining quality school mental health systems requires support from both the local community and the state.
We strongly urge the General Assembly to pass House Bill 2468, introduced by Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-Allegheny. This legislation would provide schools with grants specifically designated for student mental health. For example, grants could be used to hire additional counselors, social workers, school psychologists and other mental health personnel. Further, these funds could be used to secure contracts for outside mental health services to provide counseling and crisis intervention services needed for students, as well as training for our teachers and staff specific to students’ mental health needs and challenges.
Students’ mental and emotional health impacts their ability to learn, the safety and security of our schools, the classroom environment for students as well as the work environment for teachers and staff. The Bellefonte Area School District is calling on the state to prioritize adequate funding for efforts to promote the mental and emotional health of students. House Bill 2468 would support these undertakings.