Back to school means different things for different people. For OCMH, particularly in the midst of the youth mental health crisis, we focus on the importance of school belonging and school connectedness.

Why this is important

Kids who feel they belong at school have better mental health. Students who participate in extracurriculars and feel connected to their school are less likely to report depression. Here school connectedness acts as a protective factor. This held true even during the pandemic when kids were virtually connected to school. And this protective impact extends into adulthood. Research found school connectedness in adolescence reduced a number of mental health issues and risky behaviors well in adulthood.

Why we are concerned

School belonging is on the decline in Wisconsin. According to the 2021 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, 60% of high school students feel they belong at school. This has noticeably declined over the last five years from 70%. And there are notable disparities by race, with kids of color feeling less like they belong at school than their white peers. Less than half of Asian and Multiracial students feel they belong at their school (65% of White youth feel they belong compared to 58% Black, 51% Hispanic, 45% Asian, and 44% Multiracial).

When discussing school belonging and youth connectedness, we have to note that good teen friendships are invaluable. The quality of teen friendships can predict physical and mental health in adulthood. Additionally, quality relationships among teens is a far better predictor of long-term outcomes than even the quality of teens’ relationships with their parents.

What we can do

Parents can encourage their children to get involved in an extracurricular activity such as sports, theater, or an afterschool club. Educators can work to ensure every student has a connection to at least one trusted adult in the school. Schools can also foster a positive, welcoming, inclusive school culture. Community organizations can foster belonging in afterschool programming by focusing on relationships and social emotional learning.  

See related OCMH Fact Sheets:

• Strengthening Social Connections and Relationships 
• Rebuilding Peer Connections

The Stress that Back-to-School Can Bring

OCMH Lived Experience Partner Crystal Long shares her insights on the challenges of back-to-school time. 

The start of a new school year is always filled with so many feelings. For me it is a moving range of stress, relief, sadness, fear, and feelings of being overwhelmed.

Feeling stressed happens because there are so many things to do – shopping for clothes, shoes, and school supplies; registration; meet the teacher night; thinking about who will be by our children’s side to help when they struggle and if they will have a friend; meetings, daily calls, or emails; rearranging daycare and work hours for transportation needs; homework; and just hoping this year will be successful.

We can feel relief at the fact that with our children back in school, we can have a little bit of time to be alone, to hold an adult conversation, shop, make a phone call in silence, or just sit with ourselves. Then we also can feel sadness for feeling that relief. I know I felt that, sometimes so profoundly I couldn’t bring myself to do anything without my kids with me. So, I would wait to take them along. It does take time to adjust to being alone.

Then those feelings can turn to fear – fear of realizing things about yourself that you did not notice before because you didn’t have time to focus on yourself and pay attention to how some things made you feel. I know for me I realized I didn’t know how to hold conversations that didn’t revolve around the children and the anxiety that kept me from being in stores alone. That in itself is a lot to sit with, but I also had fears of another phone call or “nasty gram” from a teacher sharing yet another negative thing about my child. And, because it is all coming at you at once, it can feel overwhelming.

Take one challenge at a time

It is OK to feel whatever it is that you feel. Take one challenge at a time, and you will get through it. I’m not sure who said it, but the old saying, “the more you do, the better you get” is absolutely right. Eventually you will find your way through the stress and you’ll be able to see the progress you’ve made. You will start understanding what does and doesn’t work for your family and, in a way, you will be creating your own data. This will lead to successful outcomes for your family.

Realize there is a big picture. One day you will wake up, the school year will be at a close, and all that related stress will be over. For me, this is the last school year for my family as three of my four children have successfully graduated. When I think back, I can’t even believe how far we have come. Enjoy the little moments and the small successes, because before you know it will all be your major success.

My advice

Find ways to get your frustrations out before they build to an unmanageable disaster. In my car I’ve cried and screamed on the way to the school pick up so when I arrived I would be calmer and in a place where I could listen and work through any challenges.

Look for things that help you. I pull weeds to gain a little bit of control and instant gratification when things don’t seem to be going in my direction (and I get a lot of complements on my tanned skin). I also sit in my car for a little while extra before going in to my house, work, or the store, just to get a moment of calm. My car is my safe space – as I mentioned, a place to scream, cry, blast music, and sing along (even though I have a terrible voice). Find your safe place and be who you need to be at that moment to get through whatever challenge you are going through.

Finally, reach out to your closest friends or family or an organization that offers parental support. You are not alone, you just have to find the people who can help you.

In 2021, OCMH partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to create Mental Health Literacy Units of Instruction for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. The lesson plans focus on developing the skills that students need to maintain their mental health and well-being, as well as how to recognize and support others who may be struggling. The creation of the curriculum was a collaborative process including Wisconsin educators, parents, youth, and mental health experts. The Mental Health Literacy Instructional Units were released in 2022.

Share your thoughts

Curriculum creators want to ensure the Mental Health Literacy Instructional Units are meeting the needs of schools, students, families, and their communities and invite you to share your thoughts in this new survey.  Wisconsin school staff who complete the survey by Friday, October 13 will be entered to win a $15 e-gift card.

Learn more

Are you curious to learn more about the classroom lessons and additional resources? Join one of two upcoming webinars to better understand the Mental Health Literacy Units of Instruction:

• Tuesday, September 26, 4-4:45 pm – Register here
• Wednesday, September 27, 12-12:45 pm – Register here

Why this is important

• Youth have told us in our Youth Listening Sessions that they want mental health education taught across all grades.
• 93% of teachers want a greater focus on social-emotional learning in schools.
• 87% of parents across the country support mental health education in schools.

Teen Graphic Designers Create Pause Campaign for Suicide Prevention 

For the second year in a row, ArtWorks for Milwaukee's Graphic Design + Mental Health Advocacy interns have partnered with OCMH to research, design, and distribute a statewide campaign for National Suicide Prevention Week. Please enjoy this video to learn more about the interns' creation process, and to hear all about the artwork from the artists themselves. Download and share the Pause Campaign images from the OCMH website here. This week, and every week, we hope you take time to #pause4amoment. 

Leap into Wellness Youth Mental Health Summit

Hall of Fame Packers star LeRoy Butler is hosting the Leap into Wellness Youth Mental Health Summit in Milwaukee on Saturday, October 28. OCMH is sponsoring the event to provide resources to attendees at the free event! Read more about the summit, designed for teens ages 13 to 17, and share the registration link with families in your network.

OCMH Senior Research Analyst Amy Marsman spotlights recent articles, resources, and research findings impacting youth mental health.

Large drop in youth suicide in 2022 (Article)

The highest number of suicides ever recorded in the U.S., for all ages, was in 2022. But for the 10-24 age group there was a notable decline in the number of suicides. That may be due to increased attention to youth mental health issues and a push for schools and others to focus on the problem, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials said. However, according to a recent Johns Hopkins University analysis of the data, for the first time, the gun suicide rate among Black teens surpassed the rate among white teens. The Black youth suicide rate has tripled over the past two decades (2003-2022). Experts caution that suicide is complicated, and that recent increases might be driven by a range of factors, including higher rates of depression and limited availability of mental health services. But a main driver is the growing availability of guns.

 Screen Time Is Contributing to Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Tweens and Teens (Article)

A growing body of research is finding strong links between sleep, mental health, and screen time in teens and tweens. Amid an unprecedented mental health crisis in which some 42% of adolescents in the U.S. are suffering from mental health issues, teens are also getting too little sleep.

Research has long shown a clear relationship between mental health and sleep: Poor sleep can lead to poor mental health and vice versa. People with depression and anxiety commonly have insomnia, a condition in which people have trouble falling or staying asleep, or both, or getting refreshing sleep. That ongoing sleep deprivation further worsens the very depression and anxiety that caused the insomnia in the first place.

What’s more, insomnia and poor-quality sleep may also blunt the benefits of therapy and medication. At its worst, chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of suicide. One study found that just one hour less sleep during the week was associated with “significantly greater odds of feeling hopeless, seriously considering suicide, suicide attempts and substance use.”

In a crisis, schools are 100,000 mental health staff short (Article)

It would take 77,000 more school counselors, 63,000 more school psychologists and probably tens of thousands of school social workers to reach levels recommended by professional groups before the pandemic hit. The demand for aid radically exceeds the supply of help. Providers are experimenting with how to address the emergency. As a result of the workforce shortage, pediatricians have become the default mental health provider. In one state, two-thirds of mental health claims in 2019 were made by primary-care clinicians.

A bright spot on the landscape is the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which committed $500 million over five years to ramp up the pipeline for school psychologists, counselors and social workers. That money is coupled with a second $500 million for efforts to recruit, retain, and train staff for those positions. The same law steers another $1 billion for school districts to promote safe and healthy learning environments, combat violence and hate, prevent, and respond to bullying.

One survey found nearly 40% of teens were bullied, and nearly 40% of teens find it challenging to talk to their parents about exclusion and loneliness. While the vast majority of parents would turn to teachers for resources to help with bullying, very few teens say they would do the same. The Choose Kindness Project, an alliance of organizations, releases actionable resources, communication tools, and a playbook to help parents, coaches, and educators with bullying prevention, intentional inclusion, and youth mental wellness.

Children underestimate their random acts of kindness (Article)

Children, like adults, tend to underestimate how welcome their random acts of kindness will be on others. In this study, the vast majority of the people of all ages said they felt better after giving a single pencil to a stranger. Findings show that doing good feels good, both for those who do good deeds and those who benefit directly from those actions. The authors were able to show that the tendency to misunderstand how much good small acts of kindness can do begins early in life, with children. More attention should be paid to learning what the social consequences of this failure to appreciate small acts of kindness. Research continues to show that connecting with others is good for your health.

ERs Are Flooded With Kids in Mental Health Crisis, U.S. Doctors' Groups Warn (Article)

America’s emergency rooms (ER) are being flooded by children suffering from psychiatric emergencies like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts or attempts, a new joint report from three influential groups of pediatricians and emergency medicine providers. The leading medical associations are pleading for more support and resources as the number of children and teenagers with mental health concerns overwhelm emergency departments nationwide.

One doctor said that the number of kids seeking psychiatric emergency care in her ER has grown from approximately 30 a month in recent years to 30 a day.

In their statement on overwhelmed ERs, the clinicians call for systemic changes, more resources, and a focus on inequities. The statement and an accompanying technical report are published in the September 2023 Pediatrics. Policy statements created by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field, and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics.

Parents see own health spiral as their kids' mental illnesses worsen (Article)

A national shortage of mental health care providers, and the search for affordable care, has exacerbated strain on parents, often the primary caregivers who maintain the health and well-being of their children. Their day-to-day struggle has led to its own health crisis, say psychologists, researchers, and advocates for families. As parents navigate the mental health care system's shortcomings, stress can start to take a physical and mental health toll that disrupts their ability to continue providing care. Parents pour their energy into helping their kids, often at the expense of their own health.

Evidence-based therapies to address a child's mental health should include the parents, say researchers and pediatric mental health specialists. But the focus on the adult caregivers and their anxiety and stress too often falls short. For example, parent-child interaction therapy coaches parents to manage their young child's behavior to prevent more severe problems in the child later on. While this may help the child, it doesn't directly support the parent's health.

Awards Recognize Out-of-School Time Excellence

The Madison Out-of-School Time (MOST) collaboration recently recognized 12 outstanding youth workers for their dedication and creativity in supporting youth. The awards were presented on August 30, 2023.

Among the 12 MOST award winners was Aza Muzorewa, a decade-long leader in the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center After School program. Aza has been a part of OCMH Director Linda Hall's extended family for over 30 years and Aza’s Mama Linda since the passing of his mother. Linda is not only proud of Aza, but amazed at his commitment to the kids at Wil-Mar and this critical work in a profession that is so underpaid. The photo shows Aza with Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway who along with Madison Metropolitan School District Interim Superintendent Lisa Kvistad presented the award.

Congratulations to MOST for recognizing excellence in this work and to all the award winners.

Resource for Families Experiencing the Child Welfare Process

As of July 1, 2023 a unified program providing services to parents and caregivers partnering to raise children and youth through kinship care, foster care, and post-permanency, including reunification, guardianship, and adoption is available. The Wisconsin Family Connections Center (WiFCC) is the new program that has merged the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center (FCARC) and Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support Program (WiAPS) initiatives. The transition from FCARC and WiAPS to the WiFCC will continue over the next several months, but there will be no lapse in in-person, phone and email support and referrals, support groups, or other necessary programming during the transition period.

The WiFCC will provide equitable, culturally responsive services statewide. There will be particular focus on increasing the availability of services for those who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ and/or BIPOC; reunified families; relative and like-kin caregivers; and youth over age 10. The WiFCC is available to anyone with past or present involvement in the child welfare system including:

• Parents whose children are placed out of the home
• Parents whose children reunified
• Parents whose parental rights were terminated
• Parents creating an adoption plan
• Relative caregivers
• Like-kin caregivers
• Foster parents
• Pre-adoptive and adoptive parents
• Guardians
• Professionals working with the above-named individuals

The WiFCC will provide, at a minimum, these services: 

• Information, referrals, and support via phone, email, or in person
• Trainings
• Conferences
• Support groups
• Free family events
• Short-term case management

For more information, contact the Wisconsin Family Connections Center at 1.800.762.8063. 

Back-to-School Resources from MHA

Mental Health America has a Back-to-School toolkit – "Selfies, Social, & Screens: Navigating Virtual Spaces for Youth." This resource provides educational information and tips on how to tackle some of the most common online stressors for youth, like social comparison, body image, misinformation, and cyberbullying. Access the toolkit.

Teen Depression Resource

The National Institute of Mental Health has fact sheets for teens and young adults sharing information on how to recognize the symptoms of depression and get help. See and share these valuable resources.

Addressing Health Disparities Grants Available

Marshfield Clinic Health System and Security Health Plan are awarding up to $10,000 grants for programs to improve health equity for underserved or marginalized populations. The program is called Addressing Health Disparities and tax-exempt and government agencies serving communities within the Health System service area are encouraged to apply. Deadline is October, 9, 2023. For information.

Lived Experience Partners

The first Lived Experience Academy Affinity Group Connection Call took place in August. Ten parents attended to discuss either the topic of substance use or education. Participants appreciated the opportunity to connect with their peers and shared the following takeaways:

• “It’s nice to know people are in the same boat. It can be lonely.”
• “I can learn something from everyone.”
• “This gave me hope.”

On Thursday, September 28 the Connection Call will be held at noon with breakout room topics of mental health and where to find help/resources. Lived experts who did not receive a calendar invitation, please contact Andrea.Turtenwald@wi.gov.

Advisory Council - The next quarterly meeting of the Advisory Council will be Friday, October 20, 2023.

Collective Impact Council - The next quarterly meeting of the Collective Impact Council will be Friday, November 3, 2023.

Social Connectedness of Youth Teams - Meetings for OCMH Social Connectedness of Youth Teams (Cultural Identity/Community, Family, and Supportive Adult) will re-convene in September after the summer break.