Less than a third of U.S. public schools conduct mental health screenings, and many of those that do report difficulty meeting students' needs. Public schools employ counselors and nurses and are positioned to address the youth mental health crisis declared in 2021 by the U.S. surgeon general. About a quarter of children experienced mental health problems before COVID, and the pandemic worsened those problems. The percentage of schools screening rose from 13 percent to 30.5 percent over nine years. The survey polled 1,019 principals and asked about screening, steps for anxiety or depression, and ease of finding adequate care.
One positive finding from the survey, which was funded with a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, is that the percentage of U.S. public schools that screen for mental health issues has risen significantly in the past nine years, albeit from just 13 percent to 30.5 percent. The survey asked 1,019 principals three questions: Do you screen for student mental health issues?
With staffing that includes counselors and nurses, public schools are uniquely positioned to help address the youth mental health crisis declared in 2021 by the U.S. surgeon general, according to Harvard Medical School's Hao Yu, a co-author of the study. "Child mental health is a severe public health issue in this country," he said. "Even before COVID, about a quarter of children had different degrees of mental health problems, and during the pandemic the problem just got worse."
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