Mental Health
School Mental Health Education
Research has shown that the quality of the school climate may be the single most predictive factor in any school鈥檚 capacity to promote student achievement.听When young people are educated about mental health, the likelihood increases they will be able to effectively recognize signs and symptoms in themselves and others and will know where to turn for help. Health education that respects the importance of mental health, as well as the challenges of mental illness, will help young people and their families and communities feel more comfortable seeking help, improve academic performance and, most importantly, even save lives. 听According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 鈥渇ocusing on establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood.鈥澨 An equally important part of this conversation is to help students identify risk and protective factors, as learning and resiliency can result in positive decision-making and life-long success, which are the primary goals of health and education.