Nearly one-third of K-12 public schools in the U.S. now mandate mental health screenings for students, according to a recent RAND report, detailed in an Education Week article.
The study, a survey of 1,019 school principals, found 30.5% of schools require these screenings. If a student is identified as having anxiety or depression, most principals reported their school typically notifies their parents (79%), offers in-person treatment (72%), and/or refers the student to a local mental health care professional (53%), according to the survey. Less than 20% offer telehealth treatment.
About 40% of principals surveyed said it was very hard or somewhat hard to ensure that students receive appropriate care, while 38% said it was easy or very easy to find adequate care for students.
Despite progress, challenges persist, particularly in rural areas. Only two states have laws supporting universal mental health screenings. An EdWeek Research Center survey conducted in the fall of 2023 found just 10% of district and school leaders said their district used universal mental health screenings for students in every grade level.
Screening students for signs of poor mental health is one of the best strategies to support students, according to experts. But districts have been slow to adopt screenings due to a lack of resources, and, in some cases, parent pushback.
“I’ve heard from some district leaders that they would love to do (screenings), but they don’t want to tell a parent, ‘Hey, your child has been flagged for potential mental health concerns, but we can’t help you,’” says Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, the director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of School Psychologists.
The NASP recommends a ratio of 500 students to 1 school psychologist, but the national average ratio for the 2023-24 school year was 1065 to 1. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250 students to 1 school counselor, but the national average ratio for the 2023-24 school year was 376 to 1.
“Even though we’re making some strides, we still need help,” says John Gies, principal of Shelby High School in Shelby, Ohio. “We need continued funding to help us with this mental health crisis in our schools.”
Education Week
