Addressing the Crisis in Adolescent Mental Health: How Districts Can Identify and Support Struggling Students

Presented by Dr. Lisa Strohman, Psychologist, Attorney, Author, and Mother; Kathleen Tuck, Director of Communications and Community Relations, Nampa (ID) School District; Dr. Melissa Williams-Scott, Executive Director of Information Systems, Dickinson (TX) ISD
Hosted by Annie Galvin Teich, Writer, Editor, and K-12 Market Specialist

Sponsored by Gaggle

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A crisis in adolescent mental health is forcing school districts to become more proactive in monitoring student mental health and providing services to support students in need. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among 10–19-year-old adolescents. During this edWebinar, a panel of experts discuss the research that is helping educators and administrators understand and respond to this deepening crisis; causes of the crisis, such as academic anxiety, social pressure, and childhood trauma; and what two districts —one in Texas and one in Idaho—are doing to address these problems. Funding additional student services, introducing social-emotional learning, conducting schoolwide interventions, and creating a community-based action plan will all be discussed.

Education experts now recommend that schools look to the wellbeing of the “whole child.” Many schools are implementing curriculums that include social and emotional learning to teach students skills they can use to moderate and manage their own behavior, treat others with understanding, and develop persistence and resilience in the face of their personal challenges. Schools report that students who receive interventions exhibit less violence, bullying, and other problem behaviors.

Watch our panel for a frank discussion on the causes of this crisis and the tools and resources districts are using to address these issues in a holistic way. This recorded edWebinar will be of particular benefit to elementary through high school district and school leaders.

About the Presenters

Dr. Lisa Strohman is a clinical psychologist, author, public speaker, and the founder and director of Digital Citizen Academy. She established Digital Citizen Academy to proactively prevent and educate students, educators, and parents on the issues resulting from technology use and misuse. Dr. Strohman has spent more than a decade working with adolescents and families in her private practice and a career working with schools to address challenges with student mental health and well-being. Dr. Strohman was a visiting scholar for the FBI working on homicidal pedophilia when the Columbine tragedy occurred, giving her the opportunity to be on the front lines of how technology impacts our youth. She has continued to work with law enforcement and the FBI on safety and cybercrimes involving adolescents, while also lending her knowledge and guidance to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Kathleen Tuck oversees internal and external communications for the Nampa School District, the third-largest district in Idaho. As the district’s community relations liaison she coordinates community partnerships and outreach. A former journalist covering K-12 education, she has more than 20 years of public information experience, having worked for both higher education and K-12 institutions.

Dr. Melissa Williams-Scott is a 25 year educator, the last eight leading a Technology Department. She has PreK-12 campus experience that includes a variety of student populations and communities. She also serves as an adjunct professor for preservice teachers at the University of Houston- Clear Lake Campus. Much of her career in education has focused on working with students with emotional disorders as well as serving on crisis response teams.