BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Sept. 24, 2019) — Research shows that more than two-thirds of students ages 13 to 18 require some level of professional help for a mental health condition. Yet, a majority of students with a mental health disorder do not receive the treatment they need. To help educators understand and respond to this deepening crisis, Gaggle has published a new white paper that examines research on adolescent mental health and identifies ways in which school districts can effectively identify and support students in need. In addition, during a free webinar on Oct. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m. (EDT), a panel of experts will provide K-12 district leaders with insights into the causes of this crisis and resources districts are using to address the wellbeing of the “whole child.”
The white paper, titled “What Research Says About Students’ Increased Mental Health Crises and How Gaggle Can Be the First Line of Defense for Districts,” reveals research documenting student mental health issues, social trends, and risky student behaviors. It then explores causes of rising mental health concerns, including academic pressure, social media, and childhood trauma.
“Anxiety and depression are on the rise, suicides are increasing, and students are engaging in an alarming number of high-risk behaviors such as substance abuse, sex, violence, and self-harm,” said Jeff Patterson, Gaggle CEO. “The crises in student mental health, particularly in middle and high school, are forcing school districts to become more proactive in the ways they identify and provide services to support students in need.”
To help school administrators and educators take the next step, the white paper outlines solutions that are successfully being implemented in schools, including student support services, schoolwide interventions, social-emotional learning programs, and community partnerships. In addition, the paper describes how districts are using tools such as Gaggle to provide visibility into students’ online activity on school-issued devices so they can step in and take appropriate action to protect students from harming themselves and others.
During the Oct. 10th webinar, “Addressing the Crisis in Adolescent Mental Health: How Districts Can Identify and Support Struggling Students,” a panel of education experts will discuss current research and what two districts — one in Texas and one in Idaho — are doing to address these problems. They will discuss topics such as funding additional student services, introducing social-emotional learning, conducting school-wide interventions, and creating a community-based action plan, among others. The free webinar will be held at edWeb.net and hosted by the School Safety community on edWeb. To register for the webinar, visit https://home.edweb.net/webinar/schoolsafety20191010/.
“Districts understand that improving students’ mental health is as important as keeping students physically safe on campus. As outlined in this white paper and the upcoming webinar, there are a number of ways in which schools are effectively supporting the well-being of the ‘whole child’ and creating a safe physical and emotional learning environment for all students,” said Patterson. “Day in and day out, we work with districts that are using Gaggle as part of a more holistic program to identify students who need interventions or require additional support services. Whether they call Gaggle their first alarm system or their safety net, it provides reassurance that they are doing everything possible to enhance their students’ safety and well-being.”
For a free copy of the white paper, visit https://news.gaggle.net/student-mental-health-report.
About Gaggle | www.gaggle.net
Since 1999, Gaggle has been the leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. Using a robust combination of both artificial intelligence and trained safety experts, the safety solution proactively assists districts 24/7/365 in the prevention of student suicide, bullying, inappropriate behaviors, school violence, and other harmful situations. Most importantly, Gaggle continues to help hundreds of districts avoid tragedies and save lives, while also protecting their liability. In the 2018-19 academic year, Gaggle has helped districts save the lives of more than 700 students who were planning or actually attempting suicide. For more information, visit www.gaggle.net and follow Gaggle on Twitter at @Gaggle_K12.