Pennsylvania lagging in school-based mental health support | Education
As young people struggle with mental health issues, schools often provide the best avenue for getting them help. However, Pennsylvania has fallen behind in providing services to students.
A mental health report card for Pennsylvania found more than 57,000 children with major depression did not receive treatment.
Kate Fox, behavioral health policy coordinator with the advocacy group Children First PA, said schools are vital for identifying mental health warning signs and intervening early and emphasized the need for systemwide, sustainable reforms to create a workforce pipeline for diverse mental health professionals to support children in and out of schools.
“If you see on the Hopeful Future school mental health report card for Pennsylvania, we have really low staffing ratios for school mental health professionals,” Fox reported. “We have only one school psychologist for every 997 students.”
Fox pointed out the report card showed only one school social worker for every 3416 students, compared to a recommended ratio of one for every 250. Fox noted access to school-based mental health services in Pennsylvania varies significantly, largely due to funding disparities. Wealthier districts generally offer more robust support compared with underfunded districts.
Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for the mental health advocacy organization Inseparable, said schools provide a range of mental health services, tailored to individual needs, with the goal of supporting student success. Research demonstrates youths who receive school-based mental health services are six times more likely to complete a full course of treatment compared with those relying solely on community-based care.
“School mental health not only helps students be healthy, it also helps them learn, and it helps make them better able to go on to higher education or on to working,” Kimball outlined. “This is something that has long-term benefits.”
Kimball added states are increasing investments in school mental health professionals, expanding workforce development programs and enhancing telemedicine mental health services. They are also adding care coordinators to help families access services, wellness coaches for brief support and young-adult peer mentors for guidance.
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