The Mental Health Resource Gap in US Public Elementary Schools
In the United States, students with mental health disorders are falling behind their peers. Without treatment or resources, these mental health disorders will only continue to become more harmful for the students’ success and well-being: “Without the necessary services, students, especially those undiagnosed or untreated, are falling behind their peers. According to a new study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, millions of children across the U.S. are experiencing depression, anxiety and/or behavioral disorders” (Menas). From a government standpoint, education is a tool to create responsible citizens but also to ensure smart workers for their workforce. There is clear evidence that “an effective labour force does not merely require cognitive skills gained from academic learning. Non-cognitive skills, such as resilience and team working skills, are also needed, and productivity increases as workers’ health status improves” (Bonell et. al. 1). In “Improving Mental Health in Schools”, Eric Rossen and Katherine Cowan make not that until we address mental health disorders in our school and provide services for each student, school reform efforts that focus more on teacher quality and instruction will fall short of their goal (Rossen & Cowan 13). I propose that US lawmakers allocate necessary funding to ensure that each US public elementary school student receives proper mental health resources.
It is estimated that 13%-20% of children in the US suffer from a mental health disorder: “For educators, that amounts to about one in every five children and youth needing help” (Ryan & Mooney 2). With a classroom of thirty students, that means about five would need greater attention and care. Teachers are tasked with a lot day-to-day in their classrooms, it is important that there be additional resources to support teachers in order to help their students with mental health disorders because without proper treatment, these students will have a greater risk for problems at home and school, which can affect how they develop and maintain friendships (Ryan & Mooney 2). When there is a delay in treatment, the disorder typically becomes more severe and difficult to treat, which is another reason it is so important to address mental health disorders early (Ryan & Mooney 2). When students arrive at school, they carry all the baggage of their day-to-day life with them. This includes physical health issues as well as mental health disorders. While physical health issues are much more visible, we must remember that each student may be struggling their own internal battle with a mental health disorder even if we cannot see it: “a student’s mental health status is integral to how they think, feel, interact, behave and learn” (Rossen & Cowan 13).
The stigma surrounding mental health is still great, but the student need for resources is even greater. It is important to address mental health sooner rather than later in life because childhood mental disorders can hurt a student’s ability to achieve socially, cognitively, and academically alongside their peers (Menas). This is clear in the following quotation, “Mental health experts strongly believe starting early makes for better outcomes in later years” (Menas). It is necessary to teach students how to care for themselves in school because, “Health and education are synergistic”. Those who are well educated also have greater health and well-being, and when a student is healthy, they are able to achieve more academically (Bonell et. al. 1). There is also a difference between what mental disorders are treated and which are not. Students are more likely to be treated for depression than those experiencing anxiety. This leaves many students with anxiety to struggle and leaves them at a higher risk to become depressed later in life (Menas). Those students who remain untreated are often left to be misunderstood in the classroom. Students with mental disorders may need more attention in the classroom or cause distractions. This leads to many teachers having to separate these students from the rest of the class which will only further the gaps in knowledge and socialization for these students (Menas). There are also disparities based on “race, ethnicity, and income level. Children from low income, Hispanic and African American families are less likely to be diagnosed and treated based on limited access to care” (Menas). Providing adequate resources and services at school would enable teachers and school faculty to be able to provide treatment for all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity or income level. It has also been proven that increasing mental health services is more effective than increasing police presence or arming teachers to ensure safety (Menas).
The most obvious challenge that faces schools who wish to provide mental health services to its students is funding. Additional challenges include the stigma that surrounds mental health, and resources. While these three items seem quite difficult to overcome, actions can be taken to address them (Blackstock et. al. 21). If funding was received, as I propose it should be in paragraph one, schools would be able to use said funding to create resources for its students which I believe would then break the stigma that surrounds mental health. We have seen great progress in addressing the stigma from Gen Z and Millennials, and I believe the children of these two generations will see even lesser of the stigma in their day-to-day life. With greater funding, schools would be able to employ more counselors and psychologists which would allow students to receive treatment during the school day (Menas). This will allow for greater accessibility to all students. When a student’s homelife is less than stable, schools are the next best place for adults to recognize when a student is need of help or treatment: “Schools are directly connected to children who, day in and day out, are on school sites and present in classrooms. Schools need to have the services, skills and resources to identify, refer and if necessary, to intervene early” (Wasco & Frost). This is why having resources in schools is so important. This will allow all students regardless of their homelife to receive the assistance they need and deserve.
Therefore, United States public schools need funding to be allocated towards mental health resources. All students deserve the opportunity to receive treatment for mental health disorders that they face. Additional funding would have a great impact not only on the students when they receive treatment, but also on the future workforce. This is why lawmakers should be willing to allocate funding. It will be especially impactful for students who would not be able to receive treatment elsewhere.
Works Cited
Blackstock, Jacob S., et al. “Achieving Access to Mental Health Care for School-Aged Children in Rural Communities: A Literature Review.” The Rural Educator, vol. 39, no. 1, 2018, pp. 12–25. ProQuest, http://proxyau.wrlc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest com.proxyau.wrlc.org/docview/2376227066?accountid=8285.
Bonell, Chris, et al. “Why Schools Should Promote Students’ Health and Wellbeing.” BMJ: British Medical Journal, vol. 348, 2014. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26514816. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.
Menas, Amanda. “The Widening Mental Health Treatment Gap in Schools.” NEA, 2019, www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/widening-mental-health-treatment-gap-schools.
Rossen, Eric, and Katherine C. Cowan. “Improving Mental Health in Schools.” The Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 96, no. 4, 2014, pp. 8–13. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24376532. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.
Ryan, Joseph B., and Paul Mooney. “Editors’ Page: Understanding the Mental Health Needs of Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.” Beyond Behavior, vol. 24, no. 2, 2015, pp. 2–3. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26341293. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.
Wasco, Laura, and Jeff Frost. “COMMENTARY: Schools Need More Resources for Student Mental Health and Wellness.” EdSource, EdSource, 12 Feb. 2019, edsource.org/2019/schools-need-more-resources-for-student-mental-health-and-wellness/608454.
