My guests this week are Christine Casey Perry, Mental Health Resource Coordinator for Littleton Public Schools, and Jon Widmier, Coordinator of Social and Emotional Behavior for Little Public Schools. Little Public School District in Colorado has approximately 14,000 students (K-12). Christine and Jon talk about how the school district is trying to develop an environment of support and belonging as they address increasing levels of mental health illness in their school population. Our conversation covers a wide swath of ground from the pressures of performance, the impact of COVID, barriers to connecting youth to mental health services, substance abuse, and what great support can look like when a school experiences a death by suicide.
According to the CDC, in 2021, more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. More than half (55%) reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student. 11% experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including hitting, beating, kicking, or physically hurting the student. More than a quarter (29%) reported a parent or other adult in their home lost a job. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth and female youth reported greater levels of poor mental health; emotional abuse by a parent or caregiver; and having attempted suicide than their counterparts. In addition, over a third (36%) of students said they experienced racism before or during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Findings also highlight that a sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging at school — called “school connectedness” — had an important effect on students during a time of severe disruption. Youth who felt connected to adults and peers at school were significantly less likely than those who did not to report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (35% vs. 53%); that they seriously considered attempting suicide (14% vs. 26%); or attempted suicide (6% vs. 12%). However, fewer than half (47%) of youth reported feeling close to people at school during the pandemic. Schools are crucial partners in supporting the health and wellbeing of students. In addition to education, they provide opportunities for academic, social, mental health, and physical health services that can help protect against negative outcomes. Schools are facing unprecedented disruptions during the pandemic, however, and cannot address these complex challenges alone.
My guests this week are Christine Casey Perry, Mental Health Resource Coordinator for Littleton Public Schools, and Jon Widmier, Coordinator of Social and Emotional Behavior for Little Public Schools. Little Public School District in Colorado has approximately 14,000 students (K-12). Christine and Jon talk about how the school district is trying to develop an environment of support and belonging as they address increasing levels of mental health illness in their school population. Our conversation covers a wide swath of ground from the pressures of performance, the impact of COVID, barriers to connecting youth to mental health services, substance abuse, and what great support can look like when a school experiences a death by suicide.
Listen to the entire conversation on your favorite podcast site or watch on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/gZbCMbTUyzY
For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com
Follow us on Instagram (robbieshope1), YouTube (robbieshope), and Facebook (robbieshope2018)