INDIANAPOLIS — Many schools are already back in session, which means high amounts of stress for some students.
Students in Washington Township start their new year Thursday, Aug. 3, and teachers have spent part of the summer preparing to better address students' mental health at Westlane Middle School.
Jennifer Dodson, the district's lead counselor, spoke to a classroom full of teachers from across the district.
"Every single day, our school counselors and our school social workers are working with unmet mental health needs," Dodson said.
Dodson relies on data from the American School Counselor Association, which found that about 20% of students nationwide struggles with their mental health, and only one in five students receive support, and most times, it's at school.
"Without a doubt, we would say we're seeing more mental health challenges now than we were 10 years ago," Dodson said.
Often times, the challenge begins before the student even arrives.
"With the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance continues to be an issue that we're dealing with, students coming to school, students engaging in school." Dodson said.
Right now, dozens of counselors and social workers are focused on being proactive instead of reactive. They focus on lessons about social and emotional skills and career and college preps.
"There's a lot that goes into it," Dodson said.
Dodson also mentioned there are also more systems in place for those students than there were 10 years ago for those who need more attention.
"We have really clear administrative guidelines and a process for handling students who are expressing suicidal ideation and follow-up steps that we follow. So, I think we have more systems in place to address it, but the need is significant," Dodson said.
At home, Dodson recommends what she calls protective factors: positive role models, real connections, trusted adult, open communication and healthy coping skills.
"We're not doing our kids any favors by not talking about the tough stuff or the real stuff," Dodson said.
If you think your child needs help, Dodson said getting to the root cause is the most important.
"If there's something impacting your child to do school and be successful at school, I think reaching out to the school counselor or the school social worker is a great option," Dodson said. "I think a lot of kids needs a soft place to land."
Dodson said a routine is very important. Social media and technology play a role in students' mental health. She believes phones should not be in the bedroom at night and recommends keeping all phones on a centralized charger, such as in the kitchen.