What is Being Communicated and the Gaps
What has been communicated about mental health to school systems is more to do with the impacts of mental health such as depression and anxiety. A majority of curriculums focus on educating children on the scientific aspects of mental health including steps to take to ensure effective mental health as well as the steps to help prevent or minimize impacts of mental health. They also include an evaluation of the causes of mental health issues both in wellness and illness and the difference between mental health illnesses and mental health wellness. Schools still do not educate students on the impacts of mental health problems and how to deal with the trauma. According to Fazel et al. (2014), bridging this gap requires a reconfiguration of the education systems with mental health programs to aid the presentation and teaching of evidence-based practices. Evidence based practice in this case includes an approach for minimizing mental health issues and illnesses through the integration of evidence from studies and patient care that have proven to be effective. This will include integrative strategies combining classroom and personal interventions to further offer significant insight into mental health issues.
Informing Kids and Breaking Negative Stigma
The best way to inform kids and other people who are not effectively well informed on mental health issues and their importance is to effect extensive education and teaching strategies both inside and outside of classrooms on mental health. According to Collier (2021), even small changes like developing social time in classrooms or social clubs after class hours can help students and children understand more about mental health and thereby become adequately prepared to handle it. In addition maintaining a healthy basis of social development and emotional intelligence helps maintain ones mental health and enhance overall mental wellness. Greenstein (2017) advances that talking openly about mental health issues and showing compassion for those who have mental illnesses help build tolerance which not only enhances informing kids who are not well informed about mental health, but also helps to fight the negative stigma that comes with mental health issues. Other ways of minimizing the negative stigma include choosing to empower one another rather than shaming and encouraging the equal perception of physical and mental health to afford mental health issues more light and concern.
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Opportunities to Educate and Partner with Schools
In addition to schools taking up the education and sensitization of their students on mental health issues through internal programs, schools can also partner with external organizations to further develop more platforms for communicating information about mental health. Stacey (2020) lists a wide range of Non-Governmental Organizations that deal with mental health awareness issues including the Child Mind Institute, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Alliance of Mental Illness, and the National Institute of Mental Health all of which provide opportunities for collaboration in advancing mental health awareness that schools and learning institutions can take up. In addition to the teen suicide epidemic as a result of the minimization or outright ignoring of anxiety symptoms in children along with the influence of social media on children's mental health, teaching children about mental health issues earlier is of significant importance. McLean (2019) asserts that earlier intervention has been proven to minimize the severity of mental health issues indicating the significant importance of educating children on mental health and illness issues.
Benefits in Mental Health
While no comprehensive insurers within the United States offer comprehensive cover for mental health issues and illnesses, a plea has been filed with the central government to direct insurers into providing coverage for mental health issues. However, Medicaid provides coverage for mental issues. The Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities (2020) highlights that Medicaid provides the largest payments in the country to cover mental health issues with coverage for up to 26% of adults with serious mental illnesses.
Questions
What comes in mind when someone mentions mental health?
[ ] A crazy person
[ ] A weak person
[ ] A person who is mentally ill
[ ] A person who has trouble at home
[ ] Other, mention________________________________
How important do you think mental health is as an issue impacting contemporary society?
[ ] Not important
[ ] Slightly important
[ ] Important
[ ] Very important
[ ] Extremely important
What are some of the ways that social media and the internet impact individual mental health?
How do you handle your moments of extreme emotion? For instance, what do you do when you are extremely angry or deeply sad about something?
[ ] I fight
[ ] Lush out
[ ] Isolate
[ ] Take time to cool off
[ ] Other, mention…
Would you consider speaking about issues that affect you or do you prefer having time and space to handle the issues?
What are some of the ways one can recognize that their friend or colleague has mental health problems?
Have you ever experienced stigmatization on account of a mental health issues (either to you or to a friend)?
If so, in what ways?
[ ] Isolation by friends
[ ] Ridicule
[ ] Verbal abuse and insults
[ ] Others, mention___________________________
References
CBPP. (2021). Taking Away Medicaid for Not Meeting Work Requirements Harms People with Mental Health Conditions . Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved 15 June 2021, from https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/taking-away-medicaid-for-not-meeting-work-requirements-harms-people-with-mental .
Collier, E. (2021). Promoting Mental Health in Schools | Tips for Teachers . The Hub | High Speed Training. Retrieved 15 June 2021, from https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/promoting-mental-health-in-schools/ .
Fazel, M., Hoagwood, K., Stephan, S., & Ford, T. (2014). Mental health interventions in schools in high-income countries. The Lancet Psychiatry , 1 (5), 377-387. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(14)70312-8
Greenstein, L. (2017). 9 Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness . Nami.org. Retrieved 15 June 2021, from https://www.nami.org/blogs/nami-blog/october-2017/9-ways-to-fight-mental-health-stigma .
McLean, J. (2019). Why Mental Health Education in Schools is So Important? . The Doctor Weighs In. Retrieved 15 June 2021, from https://thedoctorweighsin.com/mental-health-education-schools/ .
Stacey, D. (2020). These Mental Health Organizations Advocate for Patients . Verywell Mind. Retrieved 15 June 2021, from https://www.verywellmind.com/leading-mental-health-charities-and-organizations-4147842.
