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“Back to school is an exciting time for many students, but it’s also a stressful time,” said Linda Hall, director of the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Health (OCMH). “We can all help reduce student stress and prepare young people for the demands of the school year.”
While the past two school years have been difficult, Hall points to a variety of initiatives and resources to help schools and families put positive mental health practices in place.
“Recently, there’s been a lot of attention, and investments, in children’s mental health — and rightly so,” Hall said. “It is my energy because of the steps taken by the state and federal leaders, as well as the efforts made by teachers and professionals to address the mental health of young people.”
With increased awareness and funding for the pandemic, schools are doing more than ever to protect student mental health and safety. Key investments in school mental health include Governor Evers’ Get Kids Ahead Initiative, federal pandemic assistance from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Policymakers have allocated a number of funding sources to address youth mental health as well as behavioral health workers in schools and treatment settings. For more details, see Student Mental Health in Brief.
Hall suggests that the initiatives and resources available to Wisconsin schools echo the findings and recommendations of a recent survey of OCMH graduate students by UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Policy. Report recommendations:
stable and consistent state funding for school mental health and safety;
providing time and training for school staff to implement mental health programs throughout their schools; And
Connect schools to available resources, showing quick steps teachers can take to improve safety in their schools.
A number of high-quality mental health programs and implementation resources are available to schools:
Comprehensive school mental health framework
Resilience
Filter equipment
Schools affected by trauma
Wisconsin Center for Safe and Healthy Schools
Parents can play an important role in creating healthy habits at home. Evidence shows that these habits improve mental health:
Get enough sleep every night
Daily exercise
Healthy diet
Time outdoors, especially in nature
Open up conversations about mental health
“As we emerge from the pandemic and enter a new school year, we are committed to helping Wisconsin children be as healthy as possible,” Hall said. “Our hope is that all students learn safety strategies, build resilience and strengthen their mental health.”
School districts are encouraged to use the above resources; Collaborate with local partners and their regional Cooperative Education Service Agency (CESA); And reach out to OCMH with any questions.
For more information about student mental health, see the OCMH School Mental Health Resources page.
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