Key points:
A new, no-cost tool aims to assist school districts and educational decision makers across the country in selecting and implementing digital resources to support student mental health.
The K-12 Mental Health technology Navigator mainstreaman innovation program Second Muse which works to improve the mental well-being of adolescents, was launched in collaboration with The Jed Foundation (JED), a national nonprofit organization that protects the emotional health and prevents suicide of teens and young adults, and Meadows Mental Health Policy InstituteTexas' most trusted source for data-driven mental health policy.
Headstream convened a diverse working group of 12 educational leaders whose collaboration resulted in a Roadmap with 10 key recommendations that can be put into practice through Navigator, a free web-based resource for K-12 administrators and educators to inform and guide the process of choosing and using digital tools to support mental health and well-being of students.
The Navigator helps guide schools and districts serving adolescents from historically underserved communities through the process of purchasing digital health products with key features, including:
- Identify key challenges: Describe evidence-based best practices to address common student mental health challenges.
- Discover school success stories: Understand examples of successful implementations of digital well-being products in various school districts and learn from case studies.
- Funding Guidance: Exploring expert recommendations on processes for stakeholder engagement in the evaluation and selection of digital mental health products and strategies for resourcing initiatives.
- Product selection: Identify key considerations to ensure the right product, including examples of 20 products that could be used to support young people's mental health in schools.
These solutions come as almost 70 percent of public schools have reported that the number of students seeking mental health services has increased since 2020.
“In-person human interaction and care are critical to supporting student well-being,” said David Ball, Senior Director at Headstream. “However, the resources and capacity currently do not exist to meet the needs that schools face. technology-based interventions can help counselors, teachers, and schools address student mental health on a large scale. The Navigator will guide education decision makers through product procurement strategies that solve pressing problems such as counselor shortages and early intervention.”
“As a former district leader, I have seen the need for innovative and flexible solutions when addressing the complexity of student mental health. With the Navigator, district administrators and leaders will have a resource to help them make informed decisions about integrating digital interventions into their existing supports and systems to protect the emotional well-being and mental health of students and school communities across the country,” said Tony Walker. PhD, Senior Vice President of Academic Programs at JED.
“We all know that schools are looking for solutions to meet the growing mental health needs of students and staff in this country. “The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is pleased to partner with Headstream and the Jed Foundation to develop this critically important resource for school districts struggling to connect students and staff to mental health services,” said Michelle Harper, Vice President Executive of State Associations and Executive Director of the Center for Child and Family Wellness at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.
This press release <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-k-12-mental-health-tech-navigator-brings-blueprint-to-schools-seeking-digital-well-being-products-to-support-student-mental-health-302266227.html?tc=eml_cleartime”>originally appeared online.
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