BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
School districts across the nation are looking for ways to combat the mental health crisis among students. Boise School District is no different.
A survey conducted in November 2022 in the district found that 30% of junior high students and 44% of high schoolers are depressed at a moderate to severe level — people are generally referred to treatment at the moderate level. The same survey found that about 29% of junior high students and 34% of high schoolers have struggled with suicide ideation at least once in the past six months, and 22% of junior high students and 29% of high schoolers said they would not ask for help from anyone.
Without the snapshot these numbers provided, the district wouldn’t be able to support individual schools’ needs — which is exactly what the district is working on now.
Going forward with the survey was a controversial choice, according to Supervisor of Counseling Services at Boise School District Jason Shanks.
“I was actually really proud of our district, even though it’s kind of controversial,” Shanks said. “We really did our due diligence and tried to get as many students as we can, while honoring families that may not want to do it. We really wanted to get a snapshot of where we were at with our schools. We’ve never done anything like that.”
The November survey also provided the district with statistics for individual schools, identifying problems that are unique to different areas in Boise. While the district is not sharing those numbers publicly, they have been shared with individual schools, so the administration can begin tailoring solutions to fit students’ needs based on the school’s values.
As of March 2023, around 23,000 students are enrolled in Boise schools. According to Public Affairs Administrator Dan Hollar, the district employs 76 counselors, 50 behavior support specialists, 22 child psychologists and 14 social workers working in schools. A total of 24 partner therapists, who are also employed by 11 different mental health agencies, are currently collaborating with Boise schools and offering on-site therapy during the school day, for students who might not otherwise be able to see a therapist. According to school social worker Andrea Geraghty, after the pandemic, the district recently hired two social workers to accommodate for greater needs.
A common concern is that there are not enough counselors in schools to compete with students’ needs, Shanks said, but the mental health crisis is a lot more nuanced than that.
“We really have to take a step back and prioritize our roles and responsibilities,” Shanks said. “How are we accessing kids, supporting kids and their families?”
Focusing on culture, climate and community will be more impactful than anything else, Shanks said.
“We know that from every suicide prevention program we have, that one of the most important things is getting students included in the culture and their community — it has one of the greatest effects on bringing all of our mental health stuff down,” Shanks said.
For individual schools, that means identifying what their culture is and creating new ways to celebrate each other. Bringing back things that were shut down during the pandemic is a big focus for the district, Shanks said.
“Those are the things that make people feel like they belong to something,” Shanks said. “We really want schools to be a safe space.”
The pandemic was hard on this generation of students’ social development, Geraghty said.
“A lot of kids don’t know how to approach a peer and strike up a conversation, so when we can create a little structure where they’re at — like at a table doing an art project or getting food during lunch — it’s just easier for them to make friends,” Geraghty said.
School traditions are also helpful and add to a school’s culture. Anything to help students feel important goes a long way, Geraghty said. Those things will benefit the students who do fly under the radar — the ones who don’t express their needs, or aren’t able to talk to a therapist.
“It’s so alarming to think about who’s under the radar,” Geraghty said. “We can do a lot, but we can’t make families take the kids to therapy if that’s not part of their worldview or part of their value system.”
Students will get better if the focus is on how they interact with each other, Shanks said.
“I want students to check in on each other, but when something is alarming, then they need to find that trusting adult,” Shanks said.
Community resiliency models, which encourage developing skills to regulate one’s nervous system, are an important part of that process.
Frank Church High School has done the most powerful training on the models, Geraghty said.
“You don’t have to be a mental health professional to teach it, learn it, or practice it, because you’re not opening up wounds, you’re just bringing the calm,” Geraghty said. “Then if the kid needs therapy, you can address it. Often they just need the calm.”
The models introduce basic skills to teachers, parents and peers, like how to help students who are dysregulated. If adults are grounded, they can help students become grounded. Students are then able to go to adults or peers they trust and express their feelings; saying something as simple as ‘I’m overwhelmed’ is enough, Geraghty said. Helping students regulate their emotions can be different for every individual, which is why Boise schools are looking to create trainings for parents to train them on how to handle emotional reactions.
“With this skill set, everybody can stay more grounded and be more focused on what we’re capable of and not just what’s going wrong,” Geraghty said.
The district needs adults to come together and learn how to help students to ensure that kids can continue being students and not need to do “adult jobs,” Geraghty said.
“I wouldn’t want any person to feel like they’re shouldering a friend’s mental health struggle by themselves,” Geraghty said. “Even as professionals we lean on each other, because the more minds involved in how to support someone, the better … be real with each other and share what’s on your mind. Don’t be afraid to let people know when you’re having a hard time.”
If students or adults find themselves in difficult positions, Geraghty recommends using 988, the Idaho Crisis Hotline.
“You don’t have to be in crisis, and it doesn’t have to be about you,” Geraghty said. “Anyone can call a hotline if they’re concerned about a situation.”
Parents and students can communicate mental health struggles and get help at Boise schools by calling the school and asking to speak with a counselor or social worker.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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