Schools across the country are working to address an increase in students’ and staff members’ mental health needs post-pandemic. Now, some have hired new administrators charged with making well-being a community-wide endeavor.
Top health officials and organizations, , including the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association, have proclaimed a youth mental health crisis. Districts have struggled to handle an increase in behavioral challenges, and more students have reported problems with anxiety and depression.
Districts have prioritized hiring counselors and school psychologists, and implementing new or expanded social-emotional curriculums and programs. (Social-emotional learning differs from providing mental health services. SEL teaches students skills, such as relationship skills and self-awareness, to support their well-being. It does not provide diagnostic or clinical treatment for mental health conditions.)
A handful of schools are now taking efforts a step further, adding “directors of wellness” to their staff. They’re responsible for assessing the state of mental health in the school and the school’s community, figuring out ways to improve it, and coordinating support with SEL and other schoolwide goals.
One of those directors is Lade Akande, who works at University High School in Carmel, Ind.
Akande said she believes she is among the first in the country to hold the position. A consortium of other directors counts about 20 members across the country, she said. At University High, Akande has created support groups for students, offers daily tips for students to combat stress and anxiety, offers one-on-one c
This article was written by Caitlynn Peetz for Education Week. Read the full article here.
