School mental health crisis: 70% see rise in students seeking treatment since COVID-19 began: study
Seventy percent of U.S. public schools have reported an increase in students seeking mental health services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released Tuesday.
More than three-quarters (76%) of public schools also reported an increase in concerns from staff regarding their students’ depression, anxiety and trauma since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to data collected between April 12 and April 25 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
“When I took office, only 46[%] of schools were open for in-person learning. Now, more than 99[%] of schools and colleges are open, and our institutions are beginning to heal,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a Tuesday statement in response to the report. “We know COVID-19 disrupted our schools and colleges, and this report serves as an important reminder of the work left to be done on the road to recovery.”
He added that the Education Department’s “urgency has shifted from getting institutions open to, now, keeping them open; providing the necessary academic, financial and mental health supports for students and families; and strengthening our K-12 and post-secondary education systems.” – READ MORE
Responses