New Multi-State Initiative Focuses on Youth Mental Health

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IS THE, QUOTE, DEFINING PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE OF OUR TIME. IN 2021, 42% OF ADOLESCENTS REPORTED FEELING SADNESS AND HOPELESSNESS. IT WAS 28% TEN YEARS BEFORE. FOR OUR CORRESPONDENT, DINA DEMETRIUS HAS BEEN COVERING THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR US. ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO, DINA. THE CRISIS IS SO WIDESPREAD. HOW ARE MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ACTUALLY GETTING HELP? WELL, OVERALL, THERE’S MORE OF AN EFFORT TO GET HELP TO SCHOOLS, WHICH IS WHERE THE FRONT LINES OF THE CRISIS ARE. SO ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS PROVIDING $188 MILLION SPECIFICALLY FOR SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS ACROSS MORE THAN 30 STATES. NOW AT THE STATE LEVEL, THERE’S ACTUALLY A NEW PROGRAM THAT’S KICKING OFF THIS FALL IN FOUR STATES MICHIGAN MINNESOTA, TEXAS AND COLORADO. AND IT’S CALLED THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CORPS. IT’S BASICALLY 500 AMERICORPS MEMBERS WHO ARE 18 TO 24 YEARS OLD. THEY’RE PART OF A YOUTH SERVICE PROGRAM HERE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. AND THEY WILL GO INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THOSE STATES AND ESSENTIALLY PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT, GUIDE THEM TO COUNSELING IF THAT’S WHAT’S NEEDED. AND THEY’LL ALSO GET CREDENTIALS TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FIELD, IF THAT’S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO. THE STUDENTS, HOWEVER, GET SOMETHING SPECIAL, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THEY DON’T REALLY HAVE RIGHT NOW. STUDENTS WHO ARE CLOSE TO THEIR AGE, WHO UNDERSTAND THEM, WHO CAN HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE SOCIAL MEDIA OF IT ALL BECAUSE THAT IS A MAJOR PART OF THIS CRISIS. YOU VISITED A RURAL COMMUNITY IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA, AND I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. 16 YEAR OLD HILDA CASTRO’S LIFE WAS AS A TAPESTRY OF THE MUSIC SCHOOL AND FAMILY SHE LOVES UNTIL SUDDEN, DEBILITATING PANIC ATTACKS UNRAVEL HER WORLD. IT WAS RIGHT WHEN I WAKE UP AND AFTER THAT, 2 OR 3 TIMES A DAY, 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND IT WAS CONSISTENT AND IT TOOK OVER MY LIFE, I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BUT ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES, HILDA SAW A FLIER ABOUT HER SCHOOL’S NEW WELLNESS CENTER A CLASSROOM IN EACH SCHOOL FOR KIDS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE. JANELLE MCDANIEL IS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, NOW HELPS STUDENTS HERE FIND MINDFULNESS AND CALM. WE’RE THE FIRST STOP. WE’RE LIKE THE CHICKEN SOUP AND THE VICKS VAPOR RUB. WE’RE NOT THE AMBULANCE, WE’RE NOT THE DOCTORS, BUT WE CAN TAKE THEM IN. WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET THEM TO A LEVEL WHERE THEY FEEL CALM AND SAFE AND THEN WHEN NEEDED, WE CAN THEN GET THEM TO HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE. THE DISTRICT HAS PARTNERED WITH THE LATINO COMMISSION, A LOCAL COUNSELING CENTER THAT PROVIDES A SCHOOL THERAPIST TO WHOM HILDA WAS REFERRED. I STARTED TO NOTICE A LIKE A CHANGE IN THE PANIC ATTACKS THAT WERE COMING IN LESS. I WAS ABLE TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WITH MY CLASSWORK. AND SO THAT’S WHEN I’M LIKE, THIS IS WORKING AND IT’S GOOD FOR ME. AND IT GAVE YOU HOPE. YEAH, THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG THE NATION’S STUDENTS HAS GROWN, BUT THE CRISIS IN RURAL SCHOOLS IS ESPECIALLY PRONOUNCED. OVERSTRETCHED TEACHERS WHO DON’T STAY. AN OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND FAMILIES OFTEN LIVING IN POVERTY. I THINK FINANCIALLY THERE’S A BIG BURDEN ON OUR STUDENTS. A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE WORKING TO HELP PAY BILLS AND TO HELP PROVIDE FOOD. UM, A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO THE CHILD CARE PROVIDER FOR THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS WHEN THEY GET HOME. I REALLY FELT LIKE WE WERE TREATING CANCER WITH BAND-AIDS, LIKE WE WERE NOT PREPARED AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEAL WITH THE LEVEL OF MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE HAVING, DISTRICT COUNCILOR CARINA VEGA GREW UP HERE. NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS THERAPY. SOME PEOPLE NEED COUNSELING, SOME PEOPLE NEED WELLNESS SUPPORT. AND SO KIND OF NAVIGATE GOING AND SIFTING THROUGH SOME OF THAT IS REALLY WHAT THE WELLNESS CENTERS HAVE PROVIDED MONEY FOR. THE DISTRICT’S WELLNESS CENTERS COME FROM FEDERAL AND STATE PANDEMIC FUNDS, AND NOW THAT’S CAUSING SOME ANXIETY. WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GOES AWAY? IT’S JUST LIKE, HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT? HOW DO YOU MEASURE HOW MANY LESS TIMES A PERSON THOUGHT ABOUT SUICIDE THIS WEEK? AND I KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO FIND FUNDING, BUT I MEAN, THAT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING ON THE BACK OF EVERYONE’S MIND. SO WILL THESE WELLNESS CENTERS CONTINUE IN THE UPCOMING YEARS? YEAH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY WILL CONTINUE. SO I SPOKE WITH KARINA VEGA AGAIN, AND SHE TELLS ME THAT IT HAS BECOME A CRITICAL PART OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S SERVICE. SHE’S FINDING THAT THERE ARE MORE STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO THE WELLNESS CENTERS, WHO ARE EXPRESSING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY. BUT SHE SAYS IT’S BECAUSE THE CENTER IS A SAFE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND ENGAGE WITH SOMEBODY WHO CAN HELP THEM OUT. THE CENTER HAS ALSO BECOME VERY MUCH A COMMUNITY CENTER, SO PARENTS ARE GOING THERE AS WELL. WHOLE FAMILIES, THEY’RE GETTING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, BUT THEY’RE ALSO GETTING SOME SOME FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND SOME MATERIAL SUPPORT. THEY’RE GETTING FOOD, THEY’RE GETTING FEMININE CARE PRODUCTS AND OTHER THINGS. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO KEEP IT GOING. THEY’RE TAPPING INTO STATE FUNDS. THEY’RE TAPPING INTO PRIVATE GRANTS. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CONTINUE