Change for Good Highlights
October 25, 2022 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign
On September 14, 2022, we hosted Change for Good: Addressing the Student Mental Health Crisis
At this forum, HSC’s staff and state and local leaders shared successful models for addressing student mental health. Leaders from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office and the U.S. Department of Education were on hand to respond and share what their agencies are doing to address student mental health.
The full video of the event is here.
Here are some highlights from the event:
Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign
“While we are glad that the federal government is making student mental health a priority, we recognize the need for states to also play a strong role in supporting school districts to provide comprehensive mental health programs.”
- Find out more about all of HSC’s efforts, and check out our brand new guide, co-authored with Mental Health America — State Policy Opportunities: Advancing Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems to Support Students.
Kenneth Varner, Community Engagement Manager, Healthy Schools Campaign
“Studies show that access to green space and outdoor play during the school day are associated with improved focus and academic performance, and a daily connection with nature supports mental health. In a year with so much stress and loss, especially in Chicago’s most disinvested neighborhoods, these spaces are invaluable.”
- Find out more about Space to Grow, our innovative green schoolyard partnership and about our work with parents and caregivers in Chicago schools.
Dr. Eva Stone, Manager of District Health, Jefferson County Kentucky Public Schools
“What started as Kentucky talking about arming teachers ended up with them forming some very good legislation to strengthen mental health services in schools, and that also included work on Medicaid.”
- Find out more about Kentucky’s school Medicaid program, and use HSC’s interactive map to see what states across the country are doing to expand school-based health services through Medicaid.
Heather Wines, Supervisor of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) for Prince William County Schools in Virginia
“We all know that student emotional well being a is a vital indicator of their achievement of academic success”
- Find out more about SEL initiatives in Prince William County, and about the Resilience in School Environments initiative from Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools.
Jadine Chou, Chief of Safety and Security for Chicago Public Schools
“Our most important stakeholders are students. When we started on this journey, the first thing we did was bring students together to talk about what makes them feel safe. And we heard over and over again, safety is about relationships.”
- Find out more about Chicago Public Schools’ Whole School Safety process and overall approach to student safety and security.
Katie Dealy, Director of Engagement, Office of the U.S. Surgeon General
“At the federal level, we can create opportunities. But the success is not in the opportunities — it is in the incredible work we see at the local level. Big policy changes don’t automatically translate into changes on the ground necessarily or automatically. It can require incredible creativity and flexibility.”
- Find out more about the U.S. Surgeon General’s response to the youth mental health crisis, including toolkits and resources.
Roberto Rodríguez, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, U.S. Department of Education
“Our teachers have experienced such a tremendous challenge in the disruption brought about by the pandemic. Our educators need additional tools, strategies and supports to meet the social-emotional needs that they are seeing show up in their classroom — manifestations of trauma and compounded needs around health. They are eager to address them but need support.”
- Find out more about the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program and the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education.
