BacktoSchoolandMentalHealth:Supporting OurChildrenforaSuccessfulYearAhead
Astheheatofthesummerreachesitspeak,and(hopefullysoon)giveswaytothecooler autumnbreezes,it’stimeforchildrenandyouthtoreturnto school.Thistransition— filledwithexcitement,anticipation,andsomenaturalapprehension—isanannual ritualformillionsofstudentsacrossournation.Asweprepareforthenewacademic year,it'scrucialtorememberthatschoolreadinessisn'tjustabouthavingtheright supplies,it'salsoaboutmentalhealth.
TheSubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministration(SAMHSA)is committedtopromotingmentalhealthandpreventingsubstancemisuseasacritical partofoverallhealthandwellness.Aspartofthiscommitment,wewanttoequip parents,teachers,andstudentswithresourcesandtoolsto fosteramentallyhealthy returntoschool.
MENTALHEALTHMATTERS
Oftenunseenanduntreated,childandadolescentmentalhealthchallengescan significantlyimpacttheabilitytolearnanddevelop.Oneinfivechildrenhasa diagnosablemental,emotional,orbehavioraldisorder,yetmanyofthemdonotreceive thehelptheyneed.Researchtellsusthatthereisarobustlinkbetweenstudents’ mentalhealthandtheiracademicsuccess.Therefore,awarenessofmentalhealthand potentialforsubstancemisuseshouldbeacorepartofevery family'sback-to-school preparation.
PROMOTINGAHEALTHYTRANSITION
Thereturntoschoolcanbeastressfultime,whetherit'sachild’sfirstdayof kindergarten,atransitiontomiddleorhighschool,orjust theendofthefreedomsof summer.It'snormalforchildrentofeelanxiousaboutthese changes.Here’showyou canhelpeasetheirworries:
Communicate:Encourageyourchildtoexpresstheirfeelingsaboutgoingbackto school.Acknowledgetheirfears,makethemfeelunderstood,andreassurethemthat it'sperfectlynormaltofeelanxiousaboutthesechanges.
CreateRoutines:Aconsistentroutinefostersasenseofsecurityinchildren. Establishingaregularsleepschedule,eatinghealthymeals,andsettingasidetime forhomeworkandrelaxationcanhelpchildrenadjusttotherhythmoftheschool year.
MakeAdvancePreparations:Ifpossible,attendanyscheduledschoolorientations. Meetingteachers,locatingclassrooms,andbecomingfamiliarwiththeschoollayout canhelpstudentsfeelmoreconfidentonthefirstdayofschool.Andifthereisnota scheduledorientation,maketimetovisittheschoolaheadoftimetohelpchildren familiarizethemselveswiththeenvironment.Itcanalsobe helpfultopractice morningroutineslikegettingreadyforthebusoridentifyingroutestoschool. EncourageIn-personSocialInteractions:Facilitateinteractionwithclassmatesto rekindleoldfriendshipsandmakenewones.Thismaybeoneof thefirstyearsof schoolingformanychildrenwithouttheCOVID-19pandemicinterruptingnormal socialinteractions.Socialrelationshipscanmakethetransitionsmootherandmore enjoyable.
ContinuingSupportatSchool:TheRoleofEducators
Schoolsarecrucialpartnersinsupportingstudentmentalhealth.Herearesomewayseducatorscanhelp: Spotthesigns:Regulartrainingsessionsforteachersonhowtorecognizethesignsofmentalhealth concernsinstudentsarevital.Knowledgeofhowtorespondinsuchsituationscanensurethatchildrenin needreceivethehelptheydeserve.
Createsafespaces:Everychilddeservesanurturingschoolenvironmentwheretheyfeelsafetoexploreand expresstheirfeelings.Schoolscanpromotethisbyestablishingsafe,caringspaceswherestudentsfeel comfortablereachingoutabouttheirmentalhealthwithoutfearofjudgement.
Integratementalhealthintothecurriculum:Incorporatingmentalhealtheducationintothecurriculumis apowerfulstrategytoreducetheprejudiceanddiscriminationassociatedwithmentalhealthand substanceuseconditions.Thispromotesunderstandingandempathy,fosteringasupportiveenvironment forallstudents.
Resources:PartnersinPromotingMentalHealthandPreventingSubstanceUse
TheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesoffersawealthofresourcesforparents,teachers,and studentsalike:
ParentingandCaregiverandYouthMentalHealthResources— acollectionofresourcesonparenting andaddressingmentalhealthneedsofyoungpeople.
ChildandAdolescentMentalHealthConcerns:SignsandSymptoms—acomprehensiveguidefor symptomsofmentalhealthandsubstanceusedisordersinchildrenandyouth.
BacktoSchoolResourcesforSuccess—acollectionofresourcesforchildren,parents,andeducatorson ensuringasafereturntoschoolbycaringforbothbodyandmind.
"Talk.TheyHearYou."®Campaign—anationalyouthsubstanceusepreventioncampaignthathelps parentsandcaregivers,educators,andcommunitymembers.
EarlyChildhoodMentalHealthPrograms—asapartofitsmissiontoreducetheimpactofsubstance useandmentalillnessonourcommunities,SAMHSAfundsprogramsthatpromoteandsupportthe healthandwellnessofyoungchildrenandtheirfamilies.
StopBullying.Gov—parents,schoolstaff,andotheradultsinthecommunitycanhelpkidsprevent bullyingbytalkingaboutit,buildingasafeschoolenvironment,andcreatingacommunity-wide bullyingpreventionstrategy.
SchoolSafety.Gov—providesschoolsanddistrictswithactionablerecommendationstocreateasafe andsupportivelearningenvironmentwherestudentscanthriveandgrow.
SAMHSA’sNationalHelpline—1-800-662-HELP(4357)isaconfidential,free,24/7,365-day-a-year informationservice,inEnglishandSpanish,forindividuals andfamilymembersfacingmentaland/or substanceusedisorders.
FindSupport.gov—auser-friendlywebsite,designedforthe generalpublic,tohelppeopleidentify availableresources,exploreunbiasedinformationaboutvarioustreatmentoptions,andlearnhowto reachouttogetthesupporttheyneedforissuesrelatedtomentalhealth,drugs,oralcohol.
988Suicide&CrisisLifeline—Ifyouorsomeoneyouknowneedssupportnow,youcancontactthe988 SuicideandCrisisLifeline.Simplycallortext988orchat988lifeline.org.
Asweapproachthenewschoolyear,let’smake‘CaringforEveryChild’sMentalHealth’apriority.Every childdeservestohaveasuccessfulacademicyear,andbyequippingyoungpeoplewithmentalhealth support,wearesettingthemupforahealthierandbrighterfuture.Thisyearlet'scommittomakingthe back-to-schooltransitionaboutphysicalandacademicreadinessandaboutmentalpreparedness.
Together,wecanhelpbuildandsupportresilientyoungmindsandalloweverychildtothrive,enjoy academicsuccess,andreachtheirfullpotential.
ArticlewrittenbySunnyPatel,M.D.,M.P.H.,CenterforMentalHealthServices
10BacktoSchool TipsforAdoptiveParents
Helpyourchildfeelprepared:Discussissuesthatmayariseorquestionsthey mayreceivefromclassmatesandhowtorespond.Tourtheschoolsotheyfeel comfortableinanewenvironment.Haveyourchildmeettheirteachers/ principal.Talkabouttherulesandexpectationsofyourchild’sschool.
Lunchtime:Bringyourchildtothegrocerystoretopickoutfoodsthattheylike. Iftheybuytheirlunch,makesurelunchmoneyisinasafeplace.
Transportation:Makesureyourchildknowstheirbusnumber. Discussbusrules andtalkwithyourchildaboutonlyleavingschoolwithaparent ordesignated adults.Haveasafetyplaninplace.
Ironoutaschedule:Establishyourroutinebeforeschoolstarts.Considerusinga largefamilycalendartokeeptrackofeveryone’sschedules.
Resources:Joinanadoptiveparentsupportgroup,attendparentworkshopsor explore parentcoachingand counselingservicesforextrasupport.
Socialskills:Helpyourchildpracticeappropriatesocialresponses, conversations,andunderstandingappropriatephysicalboundaries.Setup short,structuredplaydates.Reachouttoclassmatesbefore schoolstarts.
Socialissues:Listenactivelytoyourchildandencouragepositiveattitudes.If bullyingatschoolisinvolved,insistthatitbeappropriatelyaddressedbythe school.
Opentheadoptiondialogue:Ifyouwantitknownthatyourchildisadopted, informnewteachersandprovidethemwithanyinformationaboutadoption youfeeltheyshouldknow.Bringabooktoshareaboutadoption withtheclass. Talktoyourchildaboutquestionstheymightbeaskedandhowtheycan answerthem.
Talkabouteducationalgoals:Empoweryourchildtobeapartof theirown educationalprocess.Supportyourchildthroughhighs,lows,andplateausin learning.Berealisticwithyourexpectationsofbothyourchildandtheir teacher.
Don’tforgettobreathe!Practicetakingdeepbreathswithyourchildsothat theyknowhowtohelpthemselvescalmdowniftheygetstressed.
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