KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — WBIR 10News launched a Back to School survey to get a glimpse of how parents feel headed into the 2023-2024 school year. Results are mixed. Some parents stressed school concerns, while others expressed school strengths.
One major area of insight in the survey was how parents feel about the mental health services offered in school.
Parents taking the survey were asked the question: "Are mental health services in schools adequate?" The answers were "Yes," "No," or "Somewhere in the Middle."
As of July 19, 2023, results show about 41% of parents answered "No." Around 21% said "Yes," and the remainder do not feel strongly either way.
With the start of the school year just days- or weeks away for some students, mental health providers are offering some context for the increased mental health concerns in students.
Shannon Dow is the Director of Blount County Services for the Mcnabb Center. She is passionate about child mental health services in schools.
Dow said the Mcnabb Center offers an array of services from treatment, and counseling, to therapy and clinics.
"With the rates of mental health challenges on the rise in children, we're realizing the value of supporting and nurturing a child's mental health as part of their overall health and wellness," Dow said.
She said a child's mental health can affect their ability to achieve academic success, develop friendships and even cope with adversity.
Dow said the 41% of parents concerned about mental health resources for their children is an accurate picture of the problem, especially at the beginning of a school year.
"That sounds accurate. From what we understand about children's mental health, as children begin to transition into the new school year it can be both exciting and overwhelming for them," Dow said.
Amanda Collins, a former school psychologist who is now a mother to children in Knox County Schools, said the conversations around mental health in schools have changed drastically in the past decade.
"I started so many for over 20 years ago, and at that time, we were having to bring the mental health conversation to the table," Collins said. "In 2023, we are not the ones raising the issue. We have teachers, parents, and students at all age levels, who are able to come and voice a concern about mental health."
As a mom, Collins said many parents became much more aware of their child's standing at school during the pandemic. Many parents watched their children learn from home, they saw the stressors.
"Parents were spending a lot more time with their kids at home in an educational context than they had before," Collins said.
She said she wants to see more push for mental health resources in schools.
"There absolutely should be more," Collins said. "But, there is a shortage of school psychologists. That's a struggle that we're facing. And that's not even just a Knox County issue that is statewide."
However, mental health is not just a school issue. Both Collins and Dow agree that much of the mental health and wellness checks can and should be done at home, too.
Dow wants to offer this advice from the Mcnabb Center to parents who want to take extra precautions surrounding their child's well-being.
- Create a school routine.
- "Routine can help provide predictability and structure that can provide children a sense of security," Dow said.
- Provide intentional time for children to share their thoughts and feelings.
- "Children feel that this trusted adult understands their thoughts and feelings. Parents can ensure children that their experiences and their opinions matter," Dow said.
- Manage stress.
- "This can really help your child identify what their stress triggers are, and then explore healthy ways to help manage them," Dow said.
- Lead by example.
- "Talk about your feelings, let your child know that you also experience anxiety, you also experience sadness, and this is the way that you manage those things," Dow said.
If you would like to take WBIR's 2023 Back to School Survey, you can click here.