May isn’t just about rising temperatures and the end of school. It’s also Mental Health Awareness Month. It is time to not only recognize the importance of mental health, but also highlight the prevalence of mental health issues in our society, especially among young people. What was once a taboo conversation now has to be considered in every area of life. Probably everyone knows someone who is struggling with their emotional and mental health.
Unfortunately, our children and young people also do not have immunity, and many often suffer alone, trying to cope on their own to avoid misunderstandings. Her 46% of Florida public school students reported that feelings of sadness, hopelessness, tension, worry, and fear prevented them from engaging in normal activities. 22% feel stressed, anxious, or depressed almost all the time. 19% seriously considered harming themselves;
Today’s young people report feeling hopeless due to unrealistic expectations and external events such as school violence, climate change, war, and political instability. Social isolation and social media use during the pandemic have exacerbated these feelings.
The good news is that 31% of Florida students seek support or resources when experiencing a mental health issue, and 78% are aware of resources if they have a concern.
We salute Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) for prioritizing the mental health and well-being of its students. Nearly 25 years ago, our team at the Winter Park Health Foundation partnered with OCPS to teach CHILL (Life Lessons) at 13 elementary and middle schools serving students in Eatonville, Maitland, Winter Park, and surrounding areas. We piloted a program called Community Support and Interventions. region. CHILL was designed to be campus-based and provide education and individual and group counseling from mental health professionals. Since 1997, thousands of children, youth and families have benefited from the services received through his CHILL.
Recognizing the growing need for additional services like CHILL, OCPS has worked diligently and successfully to expand mental health services throughout the district. Leaders have prioritized obtaining public funding for this purpose, starting with support from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. This bill was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2018 to improve school safety and security in response to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Broward County.
Additional funding for mental health support has been secured with the availability of ESSER funds through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, established in 2020 to address the impact of the pandemic on public schools. .
As ESSER funding ends this year, continued support is needed to continue to prioritize mental health in schools. OCPS’ mental health education and counseling efforts, and the existence of programs like CHILL, have normalized mental health issues and made it comfortable for students and their families to seek help. As adults, leaders in our communities, schools, and businesses, we must ensure that comfort levels continue and that services are readily available when youth recognize the need for help and ask for it. You have to put in the effort.
Parents and loved ones play an important role in fostering children’s mental health, along with the support they receive from schools. By taking a holistic approach to health from an early age, focusing on quality sleep, nutrition, physical activity like yoga, and engaging in creative activities for mindfulness, we help children can help us stay healthy throughout our lives. Professional counseling is also a valuable resource if needed. In Central Florida, there are many free, culturally relevant resources available to families to prioritize their children’s mental health.
Education and early intervention empower children and young people to be resilient and successful in school and life. Children struggle to learn and achieve when they are not feeling well physically or emotionally. Healthy children make better students. Better students create healthy communities in which we all thrive. Let’s work together to protect healthier, happier future generations.
Patti Maddox has served as President and CEO of Winter Park Health Foundation since 1994. She founded the Health and Welfare Center in her 2019.
