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Friday, October 11, 2024

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Florida picks up the pieces after Hurricane Milton; Georgia elected officials say Hurricane Helene was a climate change wake-up call; Hosiers are getting better civic education; the Senate could flip to the GOP in November; New Mexico postal vans go electric; and Nebraska voters debate school vouchers.

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Civil rights groups push for a voter registration deadline extension in Georgia, federal workers helping in hurricane recovery face misinformation and threats of violence, and Brown University rejects student divestment demands.

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Hurricane Helene has some rural North Carolina towns worried larger communities might get more attention, mixed feelings about ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month, and New York farmers earn money feeding school kids.

Delaware schools emphasize mental-health assessments for students

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Thursday, September 5, 2024   

With mental health challenges on the rise among youths, Delaware officials said school-based services have become essential in addressing issues.

A new checklist from the mental health advocacy group Inseparable guides parents and educators to ensure their children receive the mental health care they need. The checklist outlines key areas of focus, including staff training, availability of mental health professionals and regular wellness checks.

Caitlin Hochul, vice president of public policy for Inseparable, said the checklist helps identify what services may be needed.

"When you identify a mental health condition early, you have a better chance for better outcomes," Hochul pointed out. "We help make sure that kids are receiving the care that they need before they experience potentially a mental health emergency or life-threatening crisis. So it really helps ensure better outcomes and can help save lives."

Delaware lawmakers recently approved a measure ensuring at least one mental health professional is available for every 700 elementary and middle school students and for every 250 high schoolers. The state also distributed a $2.5 million Medicare/Medicaid grant to expand school-based mental health services.

Hochul noted the checklist covers training for teachers and staff in mental health, substance use and suicide prevention; maintaining appropriate ratios of on-site mental health professionals to students; regular wellness check-ins; teaching relationship and life skills; and promoting mental health literacy.

"The checklist can help signal to parents a school's ability to provide the support that helps students succeed academically and in life," Hochul explained. "We encourage parents to review this checklist, and if they're seeing that their school is not providing these services, get in touch with your community members, get in touch with your local lawmakers."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 20% of children have a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder and of those, only one-in-five have access to specialized mental health care. Hochul said school-based professionals can help bridge the coverage gap.

"That's really why school-based mental health services are so important," Hochul asserted. "They help improve access to care and are really one of the most effective tools we have to help improve children's mental health."

Disclosure: Inseparable contributes to our fund for reporting on Criminal Justice, Health Issues, Mental Health, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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