School-Based Health Centers Remain Vital Resource During Pandemic

After shortages of mental health options for kids and untold grief, counties in Wisconsin have responded with new kinds of support for at-risk youth. Wisconsin communities have increased access with reduced wait time, and have used horse therapy, support groups, charity golf that raises awareness, school-group therapy, as well as mobile live chat sessions, among others.

A community health care clinic in Oregon’s Wallowa County has been able to offer mental health services to its clients during the coronavirus pandemic thanks in part to an already-established virtual practice. In place to better serve the rural community, the clinic's telehealth option has gained even more popularity since social distancing became a necessity. Although the practice isn't without its limitations, such as access to internet, overall, the expanded access has helped reduce the impacts of isolation.

In the early 2000s, Minnesota’s low income families struggled to have access to mental health care for their children. Now Minnesota therapists meet at schools rather than at a clinic and also train teachers to help students with mental health challenges. Parents measure the success based upon improved test scores, classroom environment, and fewer school suspensions.

Wisconsin’s teen suicide rate and affiliated mental health concerns have increased, challenging school systems to maintain the quality of life for students. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has launched a Mental Health Project that allocates funds to different counties to focus on crisis, suicide, violence, and substance abuse prevention in schools. PATH is one successful program from this initiative—with cost-saving measures, increased student productivity, and improved quality of life.

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.

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 handful of schools across Texas are implementing a telehealth program known as SchoolMed Virtual Care for Families to better serve their student body. The program pairs a virtual doctor with the school's in-person nurse to help assess the student and decide what sort of testing may be necessary or if the student can remain in school or should go home. During the pandemic, this service has played a significant role at at least one school in keeping the school open by being able to test on-site and order immediate isolation.

The state of Wisconsin has launched a pilot initiative that aims to help farmers who are dealing with job stressors access mental health services including "a 24-hour wellness hotline, tele-counseling sessions and vouchers for in-person visits with participating mental health providers." While some of the services have proved more successful than the others, as a whole, use of the counseling services has increased, especially as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted health insurance companies to support coverage of telemedicine across the United States, and in New Hampshire, mental health counselors are seeing many advantages to the practice. Although some aspects of in-person appointments and consultations cannot be replicated virtually, overall, telemedicine has eliminated a number of barriers for many patients.

An Alberta Health Services’ text messaging service called Text4Hope is giving people text messages to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The texts, written by mental health therapists, use cognitive behavioral therapy, helping people disrupt the constant stream of negative thoughts that happen during traumatic times. So far, over 30,000 people have signed up.