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Parent’s view: Our students’ mental health isn’t about politics — It’s about our state’s future

Original LA School Report article found here. 

COMMENTARY
By Michelle Rivas, Los Angeles Parent

May 08, 2023

Every parent, no matter race, background, or neighborhood, wants their children to thrive. We do our very best to meet their physical and emotional needs and protect them from pain. But if the last few years have taught us anything, it is that there are some things we cannot control. Despite our best efforts, our children may experience pain or trauma. The loss of a loved one, neighborhood bullying, negative interactions on social media, poverty, and so many other factors can impact our children’s wellbeing. We simply cannot protect them from every bad thing that may happen.

Los Angeles parent Michelle Rivas with her children. (Courtesy Rivas family)

The reality is that our children are in crisis, experiencing unprecedented levels of mental health challenges. Need proof? Just last month, the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called the increase in youth mental health needs “the defining public health crisis of our time.”  Here in California, adolescents age 12 to 17 experienced serious psychological distress between 2019 and 2021, including a 20% increase in adolescent suicides. Rates of anxiety and depression among children in the state shot up by 70% from 2016 to 2020. These numbers help us understand what far too many parents are experiencing daily. With everything that’s happened over the last three years, it’s no wonder our kids are showing up in schools with unprecedented needs that go far beyond academics.

For many of us, our children’s schools are the first place we turn when we need help. After all, great public schools should be community hubs, connecting families with resources to support their evolving needs. That’s what I did when I noticed my son’s behavior beginning to change. When he was no longer interested in school or playing with his friends, I knew something was wrong. At Aspire Inskeep Academy in South Central Los Angeles where my children attend school, we’re fortunate to have a counselor on staff who provided my family with guidance and resources to navigate our challenges. She checked in with my son regularly, and gave us tools to respond to his concerning behavior changes. I know she does this for dozens — maybe hundreds — of students and families at our school. I can’t imagine how one counselor can handle so much in the midst of a child mental health crisis.

My experience with my son’s behavior is not unique. And I know that when children are struggling with mental health issues, it makes it harder for them to learn, and for our teachers to teach. Our schools need more resources to support the mental health needs of our children. Yes, we need more counselors for students who have experienced trauma, but we also need programs that foster healthy behaviors in all children; that teach them coping strategies for when they experience challenges; that help them develop healthy friendships with their peers; and build trusting relationships with caring adults who they can reach out to when they’re struggling.

That’s why I’m calling on policymakers to identify immediate and dedicated resources for schools to support students’ mental health, and why I’m supporting AB 1479. Sponsored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, this bill would establish a program to support all students in developing the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that lead to positive mental health outcomes. High-need schools would receive funding that could be used to hire staff and implement initiatives like parent workshops on bullying awareness and suicide prevention; teacher trainings on crisis prevention and intervention; and school-wide social-emotional learning curricula. By meeting the most basic needs of our children, including the need for belonging, connectedness, and the development of healthy coping skills, schools can prevent the escalation of mental health challenges, in addition to intervening when they occur.

As a parent, I know that when students receive mental and behavioral health support, schools are physically safer, students do better academically, and families get more equitable access to resources that support their wellbeing.

This is not just a matter of politics. This is our children’s future. Students in today’s schools will be the next generation’s doctors, teachers, and innovators. If we don’t care for their evolving needs, we will see negative impacts on our state for generations to come.

Michelle Rivas lives in South Central Los Angeles and is the mother to three children.

How our schools can address California’s youth mental health crisis — now

Original EdSource article found here. 

COMMENTARY
By CORA PALMA, Aspire Public Schools, Director of Mental Health Services

APRIL 13, 2023

Those of us who work in schools don’t need statistics to tell us that our children are in crisis; the research corroborates our lived experience. Since 2017, rates of anxiety and depression among California’s children have shot up by 70% and one-third of California adolescents experienced serious psychological distress between 2019 and 2021, including a 20% increase in adolescent suicides. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all communities, but it exacerbated the trauma that already existed in communities of color and under-resourced communities.

To his credit, Gov. Gavin Newsom has responded to this crisis by launching the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, a $4.4 billion investment in the systems that support behavioral health for California’s children. Our state also increased its investment in the Community Schools Partnership Program, a school improvement strategy focused on partnering with the community to serve the “whole child.” I applaud both of these efforts to create better behavioral health systems for the future, but they fail to meet the immediate crisis-level needs of students today.

If the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative includes resources to build the capacity of schools — where children spend the majority of their waking hours — our schools have yet to see them, and there are several barriers to obtaining support through the Community Schools Partnership Program. The application process can take up to two years, and eligibility depends on the percentage of the school population that is eligible for free and reduced lunch, are English language learners, or are in foster care. Furthermore, many schools lack the capacity to write and submit the application because of the very reason they need this program — school resources are spread too thin as they deal with unprecedented levels of student crises.

We must address the problems we see today with immediate resources to support the mental health needs of our students, alongside longer-term investments in future systems.

With these additional resources, schools can increase their capacity to support all students’ mental wellness and focus on preventive strategies, in addition to crisis intervention. Schools can prevent an escalation of mental health challenges by meeting the most basic needs of children, including the need for belonging, connectedness, and by developing healthy coping skills that lead to better overall health. These supports create a school culture where students develop prosocial skills, make meaningful connections with trusted adults and learn to care for their own well-being. They also make schools safer.

School programming should include an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum, like RULER, a systemic approach developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, which has been implemented at several Aspire schools and others across California. Parent engagement with the school can also make a meaningful difference in students’ well-being and overall school success. Regular parent workshops on topics such as bullying awareness, suicide prevention and fostering resilience can build parents’ and guardians’ capacity to support their child’s mental wellness.

Given the heavy load that educators are carrying, we also must provide more robust training for those who are in classrooms every day. We must support teachers in interpreting behaviors that may be an indicator of a mental health need by understanding risk factors using a trauma-informed lens. Educators should know how to help prevent crises, how to respond when a crisis happens, how to manage the challenging behaviors that may result from students’ experience with trauma, and know when to seek additional help.

We know these interventions are effective, and with the ongoing shortage of mental health counselors, they can be implemented with non-clinical staff. But most public schools — especially those that serve students from under-resourced communities — need additional staff and training to implement them well.

Going Deeper

A petition by Aspire Public Schools for more mental health resources in schools can be found here.

That’s why we’re calling on policymakers to identify immediate and dedicated resources for schools to support students’ mental health, and why we’re supporting AB 1479. Sponsored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, this bill would establish a program and funding for schools to develop additional Tier 1 student supports — evidence-based programs that support all students in developing the knowledge, skills and behaviors that lead to positive mental health outcomes. We are eager to work with any lawmaker who is committed to the long-term well-being of our children while appreciating the magnitude and urgency of this problem today.

When schools have the resources to address students’ mental health needs, students will learn more, be more connected to their school community, and feel safer and more supported. Schools shouldn’t be forced to choose between their students’ well-being and safety, and the resources needed for learning. Our children are in crisis and cannot wait.

•••

Cora Palma, Ph.D., is the director of mental health services at Aspire Public Schools, a network of public charter schools. 

The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.

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Aspire Public Schools CEO Statement in response to Governor Newsom’s 2023-2024 California State Budget proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                               
January 11, 2022

In response to Governor Newsom’s 2023-2024 California State Budget proposal, Aspire Public Schools CEO Mala Batra issued the following statement:

Oakland, Calif. — We applaud Governor Newsom’s continued commitment to addressing the workforce shortage in our state’s public schools. Governor Newsom’s support for teacher training programs, resources for staff development, and incentives for educators who commit to working in priority schools throughout our state will help ensure our state’s students have well-trained, diverse teachers. While we acknowledge the uncertainty of this year’s budget, we also need policymakers to respond to the significant mental health needs of our students. 

The COVID-19 pandemic took a devastating toll on children’s mental health, and it exacerbated economic and psychological trauma that already existed in communities of color and under-resourced communities. The increase in student mental health concerns creates a barrier to learning in schools, and is spreading teachers too thin as they address these issues in the absence of enough mental health support in schools to meet students’ unprecedented needs. When schools have the resources they need to properly address students’ mental health needs, students will learn more, be more connected to their school community, and feel safer and more supported. And teachers’ jobs will become more manageable, leading to higher teacher satisfaction and retention, and decreased teacher burnout. We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to identify and reallocate resources so that schools can meet the evolving needs of all our state’s students. 

About Aspire Public Schools
Aspire Public Schools operates 36 community-based public charter schools educating over 15,200 students in underserved communities across California. Founded in 1998, Aspire is one of the nation’s first and largest open-enrollment public charter school systems serving predominantly students of color from low-income communities. Delivering a rigorous education to students in grades TK-12, College for Certain is the focus for every age group. Teachers and families partner closely to ensure scholars are prepared to succeed in college, career and life. Learn more about Aspire Public Schools at aspirepublicschools.org.

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