Mental Health Awareness Month!
Created by The Student Assistance Program of Bucks County
Look Around, Look Within
What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
Mental health problems are common but HELP IS AVAILABLE. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.
According To Mental Health America and CDC
Current Trends in Adult And Children Mental Health:
Prevalence is increasing -
- According to a separate survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, 40% of Americans reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2020 compared to just 11% in 2019.
A.D.H.D.- Around 9.8% of children in the U.S. suffer from A.D.H.D.
Depression - There are approximately 2.7 million depressed children in the U.S.
On the rise - Anxiety and depression in children increased from 5.4% to 8.4% in 10 years.
Visible by 14 - 50% of mental health problems are visible by the age of 14.
Untreated Substance Use Disorders -
- In this year’s survey, almost 11% of adults reported abusing alcohol, while 6.82% reported abusing illicit drugs. Of this combined number, less than 7% are seeking treatment for their substance use disorder.
- For adolescents, depression, substance use and suicide are important concerns. Among adolescents aged 12-17 years in 2018-2019 reporting on the past year:
- 15.1% had a major depressive episode.
- 36.7% had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
- 4.1% had a substance use disorder.
- 1.6% had an alcohol use disorder.
- 3.2% had an illicit drug use disorder.
- 18.8% seriously considered attempting suicide.
- 15.7% made a suicide plan.
- 8.9% attempted suicide.
- 2.5% made a suicide attempt requiring medical treatment.
Difficulties in Accessing Care -
- While more people are reporting mental health concerns, only 28% were able to find the care they needed. Nationally, that leaves more than 14 million individuals who recognize that they need help, but cannot find the right behavioral healthcare provider or agency.
- Treatment - Only eight in ten children receive treatment for depression.
According To The Most Recent Pennsylvania Youth Survey in 2021:
Click the link below to access the full highlighted report:
https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Juvenile-Justice/Documents/2021%20PAYS/PAYS-Highlight-Report-2021-V6.pdf
So what can we do??
While it’s important to celebrate and take care of mental health every single day, it’s helpful to have somewhere to start. Here are some helpful tips and resources on how to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month this year.
LEARN:
- Becoming aware and learning about your own mental health can be empowering, and a great place to start finding the right mental health treatment that works for you! Take a mental health test provided by Mental Health America to help you get started: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/
- Try listening to mental health podcasts covering a variety of topics to help you feel seen and understood. They’re an accessible way to gain insights from the minds of leading psychologists, neurologists, authors, and other industry professionals.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Terrible, Thanks For Asking
Drop Everything and Read!
- Everybody Feels Fear - Ashwin Chacko (ages 3 - 5)
- Olivia Wrapped In Vines - Maude Nepveu-Villeneuve (ages 3 - 5)
- How To Train Your Pet Brain - Nelly Buchet (ages 3 - 8)
- A Blue Kind Of Day - Rachel Tomlinson (ages 4 - 8)
- Dear Student - Elly Swartz (ages 8 - 12)
- Summer of June - Jamie Sumner (ages 10 - up)
- Honestly Elliot - Gillian McDunn (ages 9 - 11)
- The Words We Keep - Erin Stewart (ages 12 - up)
- Improve: How I Discovered Improv and Conquered Social Anxiety - Alex Graudins (ages 14 - 18).
- Slip - Marika McCoola (ages 14 - 18)
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF:
CELEBRATE!! Be Involved During Mental Health Awareness Month:
- On a national scale, you can look forward to Mental Health Action Day on May 18, where organizations, agencies, and brands will come together to encourage folks to get the mental health support they need.
- On a local scale, the YMCA hosts a Movement Is Medicine workshop during the month of May that will be highlighting the benefits that exercise has in improving mental health and overall well-being. The workshop will be discussing current issues in mental health, the connection exercise has to mental health, and practical ways anyone can use movement to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and practice self-care!
Mental Wellness Resource Fair: The Palisades School District and the Palisades Community Foundation is proud to announce its first Mental Wellness Resource Fair which will be held May 20, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the stadium at Palisades High School. Come meet with a Hub Resource Navigator!
SPREAD THE WORD!! AT SCHOOL:
Offer resources and information to students.
Teachers and trusted adults are responsible for making sure that students know what mental health resources are available to them. This is a great time to initiate conversations about mental health or remind students how they can come to you for help. If your school doesn’t have a lot of resources or materials for these conversations, mentalhealth.gov has a great landing page for educators to help get the ball rolling. Psychology Today is also a great resource to help find mental health resources for kids and adults of all ages.
Wear your green!!
You can help spread awareness and celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month by showing off your green ribbons! If you can't find a ribbon, a sticker or simply wearing the color green will show your efforts in supporting mental health.
Mental Health in Schools
Don't Be Shy! Wear Your Tie!
PDE is Here For you!
Numbers to Have Readily Available For Mental Health Support:
- Emergency Medical Services: 911
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 suicidepreventionlifeline.org
- Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741-741 crisistextline.org
- Bucks County Crisis: 1 (800) 499 -7455 Reach the crisis center nearest to you.
Available 24/7.
Central Bucks Crisis: (215) 345 - 2273 Located at Doylestown Hospital:
595 W. State Street Doylestown, PA 18901
Available 24/7.
- Lenape Valley Foundation: 1 (877) 435 - 7709
Crisis Services Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 9 PM
What is SAP?
In Pennsylvania, every school must have a Student Assistance Program (SAP). A SAP team is made up of trained professionals like administrators, school counselors, social workers, nurses and teachers, along with a SAP Counselor from an outside agency. The SAP team is here to help identify issues that may be interfering with students being successful in school.
SAP counselors have four main functions:
• To improve students' participation in the classroom
• Work with school SAP team
• Provide helpful information to students on topics related to emotional well-being
• Act as a bridge to community resource
4459 W. Swamp Road, Doylestown, PA 18902 | 215.345.6644
Why Refer A Student To SAP?
How to Refer a Student to SAP:
Anyone can make a referral to SAP when they are concerned about a student's behavior, including school staff, classmates, friends, family, community members, or the students themselves. Referrals to SAP may be anonymous. If you are concerned for your student and want to see if the Student Assistance Program Team can help, please contact your student's school administrator or school counselor.