Mental health is a critical aspect that has an immense influence on everyone’s overall well-being. Learning institutions should enhance academic prowess and student’s mental health. Institutions should implement comprehensive mental health awareness programs to enhance students’ academic performance and social development, improving their quality of life. This essay elaborates on the importance of mental health programs in learning institutions.
Mental health issues are prevalent among students. However, these issues are rarely recognized and often go unaddressed, thus having a negative impact on the student’s life. Studies have shown that the majority of adolescent students suffer from mental health disorders, with depression and anxiety being the most common disorders. Students experiencing these issues have less concentration and engagement in academic and other extracurricular activities, which negatively impacts their overall performance. Implementation of active mental health and awareness programs in schools can help in the early identification and addressing of these issues and ensure that students’ mental health does not affect their academic and social life (“Why Is Mental Health Important for Students? – K12”). Mental health and awareness programs can entail a wide range of activities, such as counseling services, peer support groups, and educational workshops on important issues such as healthy coping mechanisms, stress management, and emotional intelligence.
Stress and anxiety can have detrimental effects on students’ academic performance. Students’ cognitive functions and concentration are negatively affected by unaddressed mental health issues such as stress and sadness. Studies have attributed absenteeism and school dropouts to mental health problems (The Benefits of Mental Health Programs in Schools | K-12 Schools). Schools must ensure students enjoy their stay at school and that they are molded in all aspects of life, especially their mental well-being. Similarly, these programs can enhance emotional regulation among students. Sometimes, fights and other misunderstandings can erupt in schools, leading to violence or due to students’ inability to control their emotions. Mental health programs can impart emotional intelligence to students, enabling them to remain calm during intense moments and concentrate on their studies.
Additionally, good mental health enhances collaboration and problem-solving skills among students, allowing them to approach challenges with a positive mindset. Mental health issues affect student’s social relationships. Schools have a moral obligation to ensure that the mental and emotional health issues among students are addressed. Students spend a significant portion of their early life in school, which makes schools an important environment for identifying and addressing students’ mental and emotional issues (Sapthiang et al. 6). Academic administrators should not attribute poor academic performance solely to students’ refusal to read and revise their work. Schools must recognize that mental and emotional health can have a significantly negative impact on academic performance if left unaddressed. Additionally, schools are obliged to create a conducive and supportive environment where positive mental health practices are embraced.
It is fundamentally wrong for schools to deem mental health and awareness programs as too expensive since they have a massive impact on students’ performance. Academic institutions should not view mental health programs as a luxury for students. For students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, dedicated individuals must take care of their mental health. Prioritizing financial aspects over mental health is shortsighted as it ignores the long-term success that results from addressing mental health issues during the early stages of one’s development. Schools must recognize that the consequences of untreated mental health issues extend beyond the schools’ boundaries into the larger society. Schools can fulfill their duty of care and contribute to the greater societal purpose of developing a mentally healthy population by addressing these challenges proactively. Prevention and early intervention are fundamental in mental health care, and schools are essential in recognizing and assisting students who may be facing challenges.
The Other Perspective
While the implementation of increased mental health programs is in the best interests of every student and the larger society, some arguments can cause a pause in the broad implementation of these programs. The importance of mental health programs cannot be overstated. However, some people can argue that schools are not the best avenues to implement such programs. Some factors can cast doubt on the substantial increase in mental health resources in academic institutions. Firstly, some argue that increased mental health and awareness programs can distract schools from their core functions, that is, imparting academic excellence through knowledge and skills (Sheasley). Schools are already burdened by their immense role of ensuring intellectual prowess among students. Diverting resources to address mental health issues can distract schools from their fundamental function.
Furthermore, some arguments state that increased investigation of the student’s mental well-being by teachers can lead to conflicts between parents and academic administrators. Parents can argue that teachers are overstepping boundaries and violating their parental rights. The private nature of mental health issues makes it a domain in which health professionals are better suited than teachers. The involvement of teachers should only be permitted only when issues escalate to threats and physical violence. Asking teachers to take on such a weighty responsibility that is not their expertise adds weight to the heavy burden of ensuring good academic performance among students (Sheasley). Hence, the implementation and effectiveness of mental health and awareness can be compromised due to a lack of medical expertise among teachers. Defining the boundaries of schools’ jurisdiction in this area can be ethically and legally complex.
From a financial standpoint, advocating for strong mental health and awareness programs prompts essential considerations regarding the budgetary feasibility, sources of funds, and other opportunity costs. Implementing successful mental health programs across all the learning institutions will require massive investments to ensure programs that encompass mental health, such as stress management, emotional intelligence programs, and teacher training. Taxpayers’ money is already limited, and other urgent essential issues in schools need to be addressed. For example, some schools need up-to-date textbooks, have staff shortages, worn-out buildings, and inadequate classroom technology.
Additionally, most schools have access to essential mental health support. Schools can form partnerships with community providers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and NGOs to help address mental health issues in schools. These partnerships have been implemented and worked effectively in many schools. Hence, rather than restructure the mental health program infrastructure, schools should seek to strengthen these partnerships since most of them are experts in mental health issues (Pros and Cons of Teaching Mental Health in Schools – EducationalWave). For example, community providers and government agencies have more experience and expertise in mental health than schools. Strengthening ties could help schools quickly refer and work together with psychologists, counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, and other professionals. This synergistic approach gives families the freedom to decide whether or not to seek external help, therefore preserving their autonomy.
Ultimately, mental health is a complex issue that requires tremendous knowledge and skills to be adequately addressed. While schools can have an immense impact on the mental wellness of students, the intricated nature of mental health can prove too much to be discussed by untrained school teachers who have little knowledge of the diverse ways through which mental health issues manifest.
Rebuttal
The concerns about increased mental health and awareness programs in schools are valid, but they do not outweigh the immense benefits of these programs. There is a critical necessity to have these programs despite the concerns. The belief that mental health programs distract schools from their fundamental function is misguided. Studies have shown that student’s performance is heavily linked to their mental wellness. The performance rate among students whose mental well-being is effectively addressed is way better than that of students who struggle with depression, anxiety, and sadness (Pros and Cons of Teaching Mental Health in Schools – EducationalWave). Studies have proven that mental distress has a detrimental effect on cognitive functions and student’s concentration. Mental distress lowers students’ engagement and academic motivation, leading to poor performance.
The argument these programs should be abolished because teachers lack the expertise of a medical mental health practitioner does not hold up. Despite lacking mental health training and expertise, teachers spend tremendous amounts of time with their students, which enables them to learn and understand their behavior. Teachers can, therefore, detect mental health issues faster since they can easily identify even a slight deviation of the student’s behavior. Given this extensive exposure, educators have a crucial role in identifying indicators of psychological distress in students and providing necessary help. The teacher’s role is not to diagnose and provide treatment to students suffering from mental health problems. Teachers are instrumental in identifying mental health issues, providing support, and referring students to the school’s counselors, psychologists, and community-based mental health resources.
While overstepping boundaries and violating parental rights are valid concerns, clear policies, permission procedures, and good communication can be used to navigate this barrier. Schools are also known to address many private issues that involve students and their parents, and mental health should not be treated any differently. Various problems that intersect with families, such as bullying, substance abuse, and absenteeism, are addressed by school teachers. This proves that existing policies that permit schools to address non-academic matters that are detrimental to the student’s well-being and mental health are one of those issues.
The societal consequences of ignoring mental health issues outweigh the financial objection that cognitive programs divert funds meant to prevent staff shortages and improve technological capacity in schools(Pros and Cons of Teaching Mental Health in Schools – EducationalWave). The initial cost of implementing mental health programs is pretty high. However, the academic performance that results from good mental health among students outweighs these costs. The value of mental wellness should not be attached to money. For example, addressing drug abuse and other immoralities, such as theft, can be costlier than addressing mental health in schools. The initial costs are significantly surpassed by the long-term benefits such as enhanced academic performance, decreased dropout rates, increased productivity, better employment opportunities, and prevention of expensive psychiatric hospitalization, addiction treatment services, involvement in the criminal justice system, and other negative consequences associated with untreated childhood mental illness.
The supplementation of mental health programs by schools through partnerships with government agencies, community providers, and other NGOs can be insufficient in fully addressing mental health issues among students. Teachers have unlimited access to students, which allows them to observe and learn students’ behavior, enabling them to spot abnormalities among students and take the necessary action to help these students. Furthermore, students can trust their teachers more than they trust outsiders and can, therefore, confide in teachers compared to outsiders. School staff are proactive, while referrals are reactive, which allows teachers to prevent the escalation of mental health issues among students. Ultimately, the benefits for students and the larger society due to increased mental health programs have been substantiated through research.
Conclusion
Ultimately, implementing robust mental health and awareness programs in schools is crucial and should not be ignored. While there are valid concerns on these issues, such as distracting schools from their fundamental function, overstepping boundaries, and violating parents’ rights and financial matters, the profound benefits of increasing this program should not be ignored. Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression impair students’ academic performance, therefore compromising the core function of educational institutions to ensure good academic performance.
While teachers lack extensive training on mental health issues, their daily immersive interaction with students makes them frontline promoters of mental health in institutions. Teachers can identify the earliest red flags of psychological red flags and take measures to prevent escalation. Additionally, teachers can provide important insights into student’s behavior to the schools’ counselors and psychologists to enhance the mental wellness of students. Teachers can fulfill their position respectfully by receiving appropriate training, implementing consent protocols, and maintaining open communication with parents to avoid crossing boundaries.
The long-term consequences of neglecting mental health issues in society can not be overstated. Effects such as increased rates of dropout, derailed career prospects, drug abuse, and stretched healthcare systems outweigh the financial input required to implement mental health and awareness programs. Rather than excluding educators from providing mental health support, government agencies, and other providers should collaborate with them for the wellness of the students. Prioritizing students’ mental health has a positive effect on all aspects of the student’s life. Students with good mental health have higher productivity and have better career prospects. Society should embrace mental health institutions in schools as they promote a better future society for everyone. Ultimately, an investment in mental health and awareness programs today will lead to immense benefits in the future.
Work Cited
“Pros and Cons of Teaching Mental Health in Schools.” EducationalWave, www.educationalwave.com/pros-and-cons-of-teaching-mental-health-in-schools/.
“Why Is Mental Health Important for Students? – K12.” Www.k12.com, 17 May 2023, http://www.k12.com/parent-student-resources/school-safety/mental-health/
Sapthiang, Supakyada, William Van Gordon, and Edo Shonin. “Mindfulness in schools: A health promotion approach to improving adolescent mental health.” International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 17 (2019): 112-119. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-018-0001-y
Sheasley, Chelsea. “Mental Health: Is That a Job for Schools?” TheHechingerReport, hechingereport.org/mental-health-is-that-a-job-for-schools/.
The Benefits of Mental Health Programs in Schools | K-12 Schools …, www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/the-benefits-of-mental-health-program s-in-schools
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