Executive Summary
Across the country, young people are experiencing a crisis of mental health; this is true in North Carolina, where children are suffering from increased rates of anxiety and depression, and where youth suicide rates have also been on the rise.
Because of the mental health issues facing children and young adults, there is a pressing need for mental health providers. Unfortunately, many communities across the state lack access to mental health services, with nearly every county in North Carolina classified as a Health Profession Shortage Area for mental health providers. Meanwhile, families that live in communities with providers often face barriers to accessing care, including insurance coverage, transportation and financial barriers, and lengthy waiting lists for available appointments.
School-based mental health services help to remove these barriers and increase access to mental health supports, but school districts across the state have struggled to keep up with the rising needs they see among students. School support personnel, including counselors, social workers, and psychologists, are understaffed throughout North Carolina, with caseloads well above recommended ratios. For example, the ratios of students to school psychologists (1,928 to1) and social workers (995 to 1) are both nearly four times the ratios recommended by national associations.
To better understand the mental health services available in North Carolina schools, NC Child partnered with Peregrine Strategies, an issues strategy consultancy. Through focus groups with school support personnel from Clay County in the west to Hyde County in the east, we heard directly from school professionals and administrators who are providing and coordinating services to students. We learned about the challenges facing school personnel and ways that schools are seeking to improve outcomes.
This report details the challenges that prevent schools in North Carolina from meeting the rising mental health needs among students and offers policy recommendations to help improve access to school-based mental health services. Through in-depth conversations with school staff who work daily to meet the non-academic needs of students, this report provides insights into the school-based strategies and interventions that will help address the mental health needs of North Carolina’s students.
Recommendations
- Increase Student-to-School Support Staff Ratios
- Expand Public-Private Partnerships with Community-Based Providers
- Suicide Prevention Education and Training for Teachers
Conclusion
As the youth mental health crisis continues to persist across the country and in North Carolina, families, communities, and schools all play a vital role in the solution. These conversations with personnel that play key roles in addressing this crisis demonstrated how crucial school-based mental health services can be in getting increasing numbers of students the care they need. Focus group participants affirmed, however, that the increasing need for intensive mental health services is stretching school districts thin in regard to the support they are able to provide. Expanding the available mental health providers in schools, whether through increasing the school-based workforce or engaging in community partnerships, and aiding teachers in recognizing signs of serious mental health need can all help in improving the wellbeing of the students they serve. The impact of getting students crucial mental health care will not only improve their lives, but will have ripple effects for families and communities amid a nationwide crisis of mental health.
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