WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — One in three students in Ohio say they’re sad, hopeless or struggle with anxiety, according to a survey by the Ohio Department of Health.
What You Need To Know
A new program trains teachers on what to do when they see one of their students struggling with mental health
Willoughby Eastlake schools plans to train all 1,000 of their employees to better spot when kids need help
Mental health program was created by a University Hospitals psychiatrist
That survey also revealed that more than 100,000 high school students said they’ve experienced depression at some point.
Most teachers are aware when their students are feeling a bit off, but they may not always know what to do next.
But a new program is giving teachers the tools to guide kids who may need some extra support.
University Hospitals and the Willoughby Eastlake school district have teamed up to help teachers identify when a student might be struggling with mental health and how to help them. The program includes five in-person workshops, and the district is planning to have all 1,000 of their employees take part.
When kids feels like classrooms are a safe space to talk about things, they’re more likely to talk to teachers, according to Dr. Molly McVoy, psychiatrist at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
“We’re teaching the teachers skills to make their classrooms places that are … even on good days, not so good days, you know … that these are places we can talk about whatever we need to talk about. And what do we do if we identify problems,” McVoy said.
McVoy said it doesn’t mean teachers will always refer students to a counselor or talk to their parents. Sometimes it’ll just be taking time to take a deep breath with a student.
She said there are four big things she looks for with students and school: Whether they show up, they’re engaged, spending time with friends and having fun. She said, if those things aren’t happening, it’s usually a warning sign.
Sessions for the teachers will be held during already scheduled meetings, so it won’t be additional work for them.
“For the kids to be able to feel understood and heard and those moments that they are struggling and having difficulty, I think it can just change the trajectory of how they feel when they come into the building,” said Kenzie Hanlon, school liaison at Edison Elementary School.