Mental health a daily lesson in schools

Elementary schools in New Hampshire are implementing several programs to help build resiliency in their students and reduce the risk of suicide. One program includes introducing trauma care coordinators, while another encourages students to write letters about their concerns. Both tactics have had positive results, evident through fewer recorded cases of problematic behavioral issues.

High school students in Tilton, New Hampshire are learning how to be peer counselors as part of a program that aims to destigimatize the notion of seeking help for mental health concerns. The program, which has been implemented across the U.S. and in several other countries, has been shown to decrease a person's risk of suicide and is now regarded as "a mental-health best practice."

Facing a youth mental health crisis, some schools are using digital screening tools like BIMAS-2 and DESSA to identify students needing behavioral support. Districts in Green Bay and Alexandria report positive results, but widespread adoption meets resistance due to costs, parent concerns, and limited capacity for follow-up support.

“Chill Rooms,” offer students a place where they can go and talk to “chill therapists” when they’re feeling anxious, stressed or just need a minute to reset during the school day. Some schools have even partnered with other organizations to offer creative forms of mental health care, like equine therapy. In the Northgate School District, the graduation rate has increased by 11% since incorporating Chill Rooms.

Public schools in Hennepin County have offered free school-based mental healthcare services to students since 2000, with the number of schools offering care continuously growing. Across the 263 Hennepin County schools that have implemented school-based mental health care, suicide attempts have decreased by 15%.

After the pandemic, many teens are still opting for telehealth therapy rather than in-office care. Telehealth makes therapy more accessible for those who need it, particularly through collaboration with mental health platforms like Daybreak that partner with school districts across the U.S. to provide access to virtual therapy in schools. Daybreak’s data shows that 92% of families see behavioral improvements and 80% of school staff see attendance and grade improvements in students who participate in therapy.

A rural school is taking a “try everything” approach to helping students cope with mental health struggles, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. From providing various forms of therapy, to school-based clinic services and mental health education, school staff are leaning into more of a public health approach to mental health care. The services are also seeing support from parents and guardians as nearly all who were asked for permission to treat their child agreed, compared to just 70% before the pandemic.

Students in 12 states can take mental health days as needed and it’s a practice that’s continuing to spread. In a time where mental health issues are on the rise, as are rates of suicide among young people, mental health days give students time to grieve, rest, and even attend therapy or counseling services.

New Hampshire K-12 schools are trying a variety of different initiatives to try to reduce the rates of suicide amongst youth. So far, two school-based prevention programs – one used in New Hampshire and one used in Sweden – have shown evidence of success. Both teach students how to recognize signs of depression and suicide risk and have reduced the rate of suicidal thoughts and attempts.

In Oregon's Multnomah County, high schools provide school-based mental health care centers, which include access to an overall health assessment, a mental health counselor, and a behavioral health specialist at no out-of-pocket cost. One benefit of this program is that students who are visiting the center for a physical reason – such as headaches – have the opportunity to have potential underlying conditions that are related to mental health recognized.