Progression of Student Wellness & Mental Health Realities in K-12 Education

Written By: Ashley Northrup

Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was a lot of data coming out about student mental health concerns. A study completed by Hussong et al. (2021) “found that although only 3.3% of young adolescents demonstrated ‘problematic symptoms’ related to mental health before COVID-19, that number increased to 22.9% during the pandemic” (Naff et.al, 2022).  This created a sense of urgency for educators to address the growing mental health problem in our schools. We know that student achievement is strongly linked to students’ wellness and mental health, which has increased the urgency of implementing education and strategies designed to increase students’ coping skills. Not only are schools concerned with achievement, but this realization has made schools even more concerned about the health and wellness of the whole child.

Social-emotional learning curriculums and mental health education are increasingly being implemented in K-12 education settings. Many schools are teaching students daily lessons on social-emotional skills in the classroom, including coping strategies, social interaction skills, and mental health awareness. This instruction aims to increase student resiliency, reduce the stigma associated with mental health, and increase proactive responses to mental health concerns. Anti-bullying programs and awareness are also a current educational focus. The aim is to create more inclusive environments for culturally and linguistically diverse students as well as other diverse populations.  In addition, extra funding is being provided to districts to increase mental health support in their schools. In February 2023, it was announced that the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) awarded more than $188 million to over 30 states to increase student mental health support, which is just one example of numerous federal grants supporting efforts to address student mental health (Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov). Many school districts are offering students access to co-located mental health services for providers to implement individual therapy with students as well as staffing additional school psychologists, social workers, and school counselors who can address broad mental health needs and offer educational counseling.

Technology is also being leveraged to support student wellness. Not only are some SEL curriculums able to be delivered using technological tools, students are using apps that help them learn coping strategies and practice those skills in real-time. Some examples of these apps are Calm, MindShift, Headspace, and What’s Up?. For example, the MindShift CBT app offers general cognitive behavioral therapy strategies to help individuals relax, increase mindfulness, and develop new ways of thinking (anxietycanda.com).

In K-12 education, digital signage offers a perfect vehicle to create a positive school climate where everyone feels safe. It’s a technology that's being used to help amplify and reinforce SEL initiatives.  It can help support student safety, foster a positive learning environment and reinforce social and emotional well-being. Use it to help teach self-regulation skills like yoga, mindfulness, and grounding activities. Promote positive behavior and help kids feel connected to their environment by honoring and recognizing them for their hard work, and put counselor & hotline information on display to inform students of services available to them.

In addition to increased staffing and curriculum initiatives, schools are offering more training and support for educators and families aimed at increasing the capacity of educators and parents to support their students and children. This training focuses on identifying signs of distress and budding mental health issues, proactive strategies to increase student resiliency, and crisis response protocols.

In today’s society, enhancing safety in homes, schools, and communities, as well as online are common educational and family concerns. Therefore, we are seeing an increase in education and training resources to support educators and families addressing these topics. The “U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Education (ED), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice (DOJ), launched a public awareness campaign to highlight federal school safety resources and evidence-based practices available through SchoolSafety.gov." (Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov)

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There is also an increased level of awareness on overall student and educator wellness. A quick browse on the National Education Association website offers a variety of webinars for educators to watch covering  topics such as self-care for educators, increasing resiliency, trauma-informed practices, and resources on social-emotional learning. (National Education Association | NEA)

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Ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff, both physically and mentally, poses a challenge. However, with the right tools and technology, achieving effective communication is possible anywhere and anytime. Digital Signage emerges as a valuable tool in this context, capable of addressing both physical and mental well-being concerns. Support the educational community by sharing impactful messages that contribute to academic success and enhance the overall well-being of students and teachers.

Integrating with the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) further strengthens campus safety. This protocol facilitates the seamless delivery of accurate, real-time emergency messages to various alerting systems within your facilities. By leveraging CAP, you can ensure that crucial information is disseminated promptly. In the event of an emergency, Carousel, integrated with CAP, can rapidly display targeted visual notifications and instructions across your signage network, all without requiring user intervention. This automated approach enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency communication, ultimately contributing to a safer campus environment.

Taking into account all of these changes happening in educational systems, K-12 education is headed in a positive direction. The world that our children is living in is one that’s changing rapidly.  Educational systems need to change just as fast to provide our children with the best opportunities to learn and grow into resilient, educated adults.

About The Author

Ashley Northrup is a School Psychologist with 16 years of experience working with students ages preschool through 12th grade. She is passionate about social emotional learning (SEL) and advocating for children's mental health.

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