Are SLO County schools doing enough for students’ mental health? Here’s what grand jury says
Local public high schools are actively working to address students’ mental health issues — but more can be done, according to the San Luis Obispo County grand jury.
In a report released on Monday, the grand jury looks at San Luis Obispo County schools’ efforts to help students through wellness centers, counselors and other services, and lays out several recommendations for local educators.
The grand jury report, one of three released on Monday, comes 10 months an separate grand jury reported a shortage of acute mental health beds in San Luis Obispo County and recommended further investigation of other local mental health issues.
Tribune reporting about unmet student mental health needs and substance abuse among students led to a citizen requesting the grand jury examine youth access to mental health resources, according to the report released Monday.
“Our schoolteachers, counselors, therapists, staff and administrators have many hats to wear in today’s schools,” the jurors said in the report. “Our appreciation goes out to these individuals who not only provide academic learning, but also do so much more to keep our children safe and mentally healthy.”
How are SLO County schools meeting students’ mental health needs?
In its report, the grand jury applauded schools that have dedicated wellness centers, full staffs of counselors, a school resource officer on campus five days a week, as well as anonymous reporting systems for bullying incidents and regular staff training on mental health issues.
The report highlighted Shandon High School’s wellness center, which was established through a $200,000 grant from the state along with the school district’s funds, a grant from the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education and private donations.
The wellness center opened in January and serves as a dedicated space at the center of campus for students to receive mental health services, substance abuse help and other counseling aid.
At Atascadero High School, students receive a lesson about a current events topic before lunch to learn about positive relationships, mental health awareness and coping skills. Receiving the lessons before mealtime allows students to discuss the topics while they eat, the grand jury report said.
The report also highlighted San Luis Obispo High School’s efforts to get to know every student.
“A list of students is posted at staff meetings and a check mark is put next to names by teachers acknowledging that they know or have a relationship with that student,” the report said. “Students without a check mark, or without many, are sought out.
“The school’s goal is that no student is invisible. Each student matters.”
Grand jury makes recommendations for local high schools
While all of San Luis Obispo County’s public high schools are clearly dedicated to providing the best mental health services, the grand jury said, jurors found room for improvement.
The San Luis Obispo County Office of Education should develop a plan to help local schools get grants for wellness centers like the one at Shandon High, the report said.
Although high schools are required to teach a mental health course during students’ freshman year, that curriculum should expand beyond freshman year, the grand jury recommended.
While most schools utilize substance abuse programs such as Friday Night Live, there are other external programs schools could implement to maximize the resources available to students, the report said.
More campus staff and teachers should be trained to address and identify youth mental health issues, the grand jury recommended in its report.
All schools should have a school resource officer on campus full-time as well, jurors said, noting that school resource officers can help teachers and administration identify struggling students and connect those students to mental health resources.
It’s vital that each campus also have a full-time, permanent counseling staff, the report added.
Schools should have naloxone, a narcotic overdose prevention medicine known by the brand name Narcan — on campus at all times, as well as anonymous bullying reporting systems and annual suicide awareness training, the grand jury recommended.
The superintendent of schools at the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education must respond to the grand jury report within 60 days. And all of the public county high school superintendents and school boards are required to respond to the report within 90 days.
Principals at the high schools can respond, if they wish, to the report within 90 days.
