Youth mental wellness needs to be a community effort
The mental wellness of our country’s youth has been a growing concern, but the pandemic has made it even more dire. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mental health-related emergency room visits have increased 24% in children aged 5 to 11 and 31% in 12- to 17-year-olds since 2019.
As a district, we have been working hard to help remove the ongoing stigma around mental health struggles and the way students can ask for help. North Thurston Public Schools now employs 11 mental health specialists and will soon add another, along with a district-wide social worker. But we can’t tackle this alone.
We believe that every member of our community can play an important role in supporting the mental wellness of our youth. Even if you don’t have children or interact with many young people, you probably know people who do. In fact, we know that mental health is an issue for people of all ages. When we make space for each other to share and listen, our acts of compassion can be contagious and demonstrate how important it is to talk about how we feel.
Since our 2018 School Board determination on Responsible, Resilient, Empowered Learners, the ways our district serves the mental wellness needs of our students has evolved. For example, we do not assume students have the skills to manage their emotions; we now teach our students relationship skills, problem-solving skills, empathy for others, and responsible decision making.
In 2019 we also opened our Family and Youth Resource (FYR) Center which has become a hub of services and support to those in need, including homeless youth. Thanks to numerous community partnerships, under-served students and their families can access food, clothing, hygiene supplies, as well as community-based mental health services.
Our commitment to parent education in this area is also clear. In fact, we recently hosted a free, virtual suicide prevention class for students and their families. We shared with parents how to get help; we also have posters in all our schools listing the local 24/7 Crisis Clinic hotline and a new Crisis texting option to encourage students to seek help when they need it.
Our Strategic Plan emphasizes goals designed to help students feel safe and empowered by supporting goals for both academic achievement and social emotional learning. Social emotional curricula, community partnerships, and easy access to professional help are vital elements of a growing network of support our students need.
The past few years have been a struggle for all of us. Everyone needs to be listened to, cared for, and loved. Let’s start the conversation. Together, we can reduce the stigma associated with mental health and make a difference in the lives of others by listening to each other with genuine compassion and connecting those in need with necessary services and support.
If you need help, call the 24/7 Crisis Clinic (Thurston/Mason counties) Youth Helpline at 360-586-2777. Adults may call 360-586-2800. Or text “HOME” to 741741. No crisis is too small!
Dave Newkirk is the incoming president of the North Thurston Public Schools board, and Gretchen Maliska is the incoming vice president.
This story was originally published December 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.