Over the last month, young people throughout the Yampa Valley have been getting back into the school routine as the lazy days of summer have yielded to a much busier time of year for both students and parents.
School staff have also been hard at work ensuring that students are supported in their studies. From teachers to principals, from coaches to paraprofessionals, everyone is doing all that they can to guarantee that the educational environment is set up for academic and athletic success.
School counselors and social workers are also doubling-down to address the challenges that young people are facing both in and out of school.
Mental health is a crucial component of a student’s ability to learn to their full potential. Throughout the area, mental health professionals have been working tirelessly with each other and with outside organizations to provide support to students wherever and whenever it is needed, especially given the rising prevalence of youth-based mental health challenges.
One trend that many mental health professionals are seeing amongst students is an increase in anxiety and depression.
“This seems to be very prevalent in the lives of our students,” said Kelsey Spahr, who is a school social worker at Strawberry Park Elementary. “Where it stems from is different for everyone, but it seems the majority of students struggle with this.”
Despite the causes of anxiety being different for each individual, schools are providing targeted services where students can access safe spaces, with counselors and social workers, to process through emotions and feelings. Spahr noted that a student having a trusted adult in their lives is a powerful and proactive way to provide a framework of mental health support.
Possible causes of anxiety can include parents being separated, pressure from peers, and excessive amounts of time on screens, which can greatly impact the social and emotional development of youth.
“Social media can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy as there is constant exposure to idealized versions of other student’s lives on social media,” said Shelby DeWolfe, who serves as a Mental and Restorative Practice Manager in the Steamboat Springs School District. “There has been a great deal of research that points to a strong correlation between constant use of smartphones and social media with mental health concerns.”
Further, DeWolfe has seen an increase in depression, substance abuse, and academic stress in addition to the impacts of social media and technology use.
South Routt Elementary Counselor Anita Hoffman has also seen increases in mental health challenges for students.
“Unfortunately, our students are not immune to the nationally reported increase in depression and anxiety,” said Hoffman. “One positive, however, is that students are more open talking about [it] and sharing their experiences regarding mental health.”
DeWolf reinforced that many students are seeking support for their mental health, using their voices to advocate for themselves and their peers while also creating opportunities for “rich discussion” to reduce the stigma that surrounds accessing mental health support.
The Steamboat Springs School District (SSSD) has also partnered with a Northwest Colorado Health agency called “Youth Resiliency”. Their program, which involves staff coming to the schools, helps students develop practical resiliency skills within their lives.
“This is huge because it gets students together to help them process through whatever they are needing and wanting to work on, allows students to see that they are not alone, and provides them with tangible, practical tools to carry with them throughout their life,” said Spahr. “We really try to teach students that these tools go beyond school.”
The South Routt School District has integrated the “7 Mindsets” curriculum which uses restorative practices combined with a strong sense of community to reinforce student wellness while also addressing the needs of the whole child.
DeWolfe noted that the SSSD is also providing social and emotional lessons to students, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels, in an attempt to “develop a strong foundation of understanding as well as developing strong coping and regulation skills.”. The dedication of the district towards mental health has also become an institutional initiative as well, as it has become a major component of the five year strategic plan that the district uses to steer its operations and programming.
Key student-based mental health partners include Northwest Colorado Health and the Youth Resiliency Program, Partners for Youth, Routt County Crisis Support, Brighter World/Advocates of Routt County, Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide, MindSprings Health, UC Health, Yampa Valley Community Foundation, Craig Sheckman Family Foundation and a variety of private practive providers throughout the greater Yampa Valley area.
Through the utilization of grants, district funding, and collaborative partnerships, districts have been able to make major improvements to their mental health infrastructure over the last three years. Though there is still a need for more support both inside and outside of school, the community as a whole has done a lot to close gaps while also increasing resources and diversity in the programs that are offered.
In September, Steamboat Locals’ writer John Camponeschi will be presenting you a four-part series of stories about mental health in Routt County and the people, organizations and educators that raise awareness and provide solutions for those in need.
Read Part 1 – Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide (REPS)
Read Part 2 – Death Doulas & Death Cafes
This series of stories is proudly presented to you by Jon Wade and The Steamboat Group as a continuation of their commitment to “Keep Steamboat Special” by supporting non-profits and events that promote a healthy Steamboat lifestyle! You can also support their efforts simply by making a request on the Steamboat Locals Choice for Music. For every song request made in the month of September, The Steamboat Group will donate $2 to REPS, up to $500 total!
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