Sharing – National Poll: Parents Say Mental Health and Belonging Are as Vital to School Safety as Building Security
Over the weekend, I shared a story about a new Ohio law requiring parents to consent to any mental healthcare for teens. My opinion is that while that’s generally a good thing, when the parent is abusing the child, a one-size-fits-all law could wind up causing more harm than it prevents.
What is interesting in the debate about mental healthcare at school is that the loudest voices seem to come from those who never want schools to be involved in providing mental healthcare. Their argument seems to be that schools are for learning, nothing else. Mental health should be entirely up to parents, and teachers shouldn’t interfere.
I say the loudest voices, because this survey seems to suggest that most parents aren’t only OK with their teens getting some mental healthcare at school, but they view it as a requirement to create a safe learning environment.
Nearly 60% of parents of elementary and middle schoolers say teacher training to identify and support students with emotional or behavioral problems would make schools safer, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
Almost half support hiring more school counselors, while four in ten endorse confidential reporting systems and programs to promote inclusion and friendship among students.
It seems many parents want schools to do more in this space, which makes sense, because mental health issues only get worse when kids grow up without support.
