Cry for help
Texas needs to do more to stem the tide of despair in high schools.
It’s a cry for help. That’s the only way to interpret a new report that highlighted a shocking amount of despair and hopelessness among high school students around the country. In an age where the internet has the capacity to bring people together, there seems to be more disconnection and loneliness than ever.
Twelve percent of Texas high school students attempted suicide in 2017, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Put another way: Nearly 1 in 8 Texas high school students acted on an impulse that, if successful, would have ended their lives and devastated their families and friends. The sheer magnitude of the problem is shocking, and the trend is only growing worse.
While the causes of the crisis are complex, one fact is clear: Our high schools need help supporting troubled students.
The CDC’s concerning reminder comes at the right time. State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Kingwood, and other political leaders are holding a joint hearing today on children’s mental health and school-based support as part of the Texas Legislature’s response to the tragedy at Santa Fe High School.
Texas made significant gains last session in addressing mental health, including a bill that allowed psychological screenings to be provided during the annual medical exam of some children enrolled in Medicaid. But the deep pain highlighted in this CDC report should spur Texas lawmakers to further action.
The first step should involve identifying and promoting policies that provide students with timely access to mental health support. The leaders at today’s hearing should act on behalf of all parents whose children are at risk due to untreated depression.
There’s already movement from the state’s highest office.
Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott released his School and Firearm Safety Action Plan, which contains numerous recommendations for expanding mental health in schools. One idea stands out. The state “should consider creating two classes of school counselors: one focused on academic issues (college acceptance, student assessment, etc.) while the other would focus on behavioral or mental health issues.”
Abbott is right. It’s unrealistic for a single individual to be expected to wear both the hat of an academic and a behavioral counselor. For starters, the training is different. As noted in Abbott’s plan, behavioral counselors need certifications as licensed mental health professionals, while the academic counselors might be former teachers who have a particular interest in counseling issues.
Recognizing the problem is just the first step to its solution. The Legislature must provide the funding for high schools to offer trained mental health providers on campus as well as academic advisers.
The state should also create a center on student mental health connected to a university, similar to the Texas School Safety Center, that can provide training and technical assistance on social emotional learning, student mental health and creating safe and supportive school practices. Neither students nor teachers should feel alone when confronting mental health issues.
High school should be a time of academic achievement, proms, sports and clubs. For too many students, however, it is time of personal struggle and deep personal pain. It doesn’t have to be like that. If Texas politicians do their jobs right, it won’t be.