February 2020 - Mental Health Programming

By Sara Stockwell, Ed.S., Director of Student Services and Well-Being, Perrysburg Schools

Mental health services are a critical component of our school programming. We know that nationally, 50% of all mental health conditions occur by age 14 and suicide is the second leading cause of death in people aged 10-24. In Wood County, 46.3% of students in grades 7-12 report low, moderate, severe or intense mental health concerns.

These challenges can impact learning, achievement, attendance and students’ overall sense of well-being. As educators, we are tasked with addressing the needs of the whole child and ensuring each child has the opportunity to achieve their greatest potential.

Perrysburg Schools has 12 school counselors who run small groups for students aimed at mental health topics such as stress management, self confidence, grief, emotional regulation, coping strategies, resilience, identifying support systems and developing communication skills. Approximately 1,700 students participate in these groups, which equates to 33% of the student population. In addition, school counselors meet individually with students to support social and emotional growth and well-being. To supplement the school counselor programming, we utilize Children’s Resource Center counselors and two licensed social workers to reduce barriers to mental health services and meet the clinical needs of students and families. 17% of our formal individualized plans (504s or IEPs) are in place primarily for mental health needs, with many more plans supporting secondary mental health needs.

While direct student services are aimed at reducing immediate concerns, staff professional development is imperative for preventative measures. Perrysburg Schools’ professional development day in February focused 53% of the sessions on mental health to increase teacher awareness and education. The junior high and high school faculty were trained on First Aid Youth Mental Health in January 2019, which was fully funded through the Project Aware program.

In 2016, two school counselors were trained in trauma-informed practices and, later that year, trained all instructional staff members on: An Introduction to Trauma, Managing Trauma in the Classroom and Recognizing Secondary Traumatic Stress.

To address suicide prevention, our school district has developed a suicide ideation protocol for when employees identify concerning behavior. This ensures that students who are demonstrating risk factors are assessed by a school counselor and provided the appropriate support. In addition, suicide prevention speaker Kevin Hines presented to all junior high and high school students last school year. Members of our staff also participate in the Wood County Suicide Prevention Team, and the school district crisis team meets quarterly to focus on suicide prevention programming in our schools. Students are provided explicit suicide prevention training that teaches them to ACT (acknowledge, care, tell), starting in intermediate school and repeating through high school.

Indirect supports such as the Jacket Way, CQ CommUNITY and mindfulness trainings are also an integral part of the Perrysburg Schools comprehensive mental health framework. The Jacket Way creates common expectations for behavior across the school district to create a culture best suited for students to be academically, emotionally and socially successful. Monthly mindfulness trainings allow teachers to utilize this stress reducing practice both personally and in their classrooms. The CQ CommUNITY is a team established to ensure a safe and inclusive environment where all students feel valued and welcome.

Despite the many variables that may impact a student’s performance and success in school, we work hard to provide a model of both direct and indirect supports to students that represent the current research available in the field. Our students are our number one priority, and we do all we can to provide the services and supports they all need to have a positive, supportive and growth-oriented school experience.