Mental health awareness is an important issue for all educators, who are often the first to notice mental health problems in children and young adults. A student’s mental health has a significant impact on learning and achievement. NAMI Santa Clara County (NAMI SCC) recognizes that school professionals – teachers, support staff and administrators – are uniquely positioned to recognize and support students with mental health issues. This page offers information and resources to assist educators in this area.

Contents in this page:

Students and Mental Health: Some Facts

The number of children and adolescents reporting poor mental health is increasing.  NAMI National estimates that one in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, and half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14.

Since children spend much of their time in educational settings, schools have many opportunities for early mental health identification, prevention, and interventions. Youth are nearly as likely to receive mental health services in an education setting as they are to receive treatment from a mental health provider. According to NAMI National, in 2019, 15% of adolescents aged 12-17 reported receiving mental health services at school, compared to 17% who saw a specialty provider.

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NAMI Message to Schools: 

NAMI wants you to know that are three powerful messages every school needs to share to create an open environment for students to talk about mental health at school:

  • It’s OK to talk about mental illness
  • There is no shame in seeking help
  • There is hope after diagnosis

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1. What Educators Should Know
What Educators Should Know

SAMHSA suggests that educators know the following about students and mental health: (From SAMHSA article “For Educators“)

  • The warning signs for mental health problems. (See next paragraph)
  • How to promote mental health and substance use prevention in schools and on campuses.
  • Who to turn to at your school (such as the principal, school nurse, school psychiatrist or psychologist, or school social worker) if you have questions or concerns about a student’s behavior.
  • How to access local crisis support and mental health services.
Warning Signs for Mental Health Problems in Students

Consult with a school counselor, nurse, or administrator and the student’s parents if you observe one or more of the following behaviors:

  • Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks
  • Seriously trying to harm oneself, or making plans to do so
  • Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing
  • Involvement in many fights or desire to badly hurt others
  • Severe out-of-control behavior that can hurt oneself or others
  • Not eating, throwing up, or using laxatives to make oneself lose weight
  • Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
  • Extreme difficulty concentrating or staying still that puts the student in physical danger or causes problems in the classroom
  • Repeated use of drugs or alcohol
  • Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
  • Drastic changes in the student’s behavior or personality

Parents and Teachers as Allies – Recognizing Early-onset Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents:
This NAMI publication not only describes early symptoms of various mental health disorders that can manifest in childhood and adolescence, but offers guidance on how to effectively express your concerns to parents, and how to partner with families to support the child.

Promoting mental health and substance use prevention

You can support the mental health of all students in your classroom and school, not just individual students who may exhibit behavioral issues. Consider the following actions:

  • Learn more about mental health by taking a mental health awareness training
  • Promote social and emotional competency and build resilience
  • Help ensure a positive, safe school environment
  • Teach and reinforce positive behaviors and decision-making
  • Encourage helping others
  • Encourage good physical health
  • Help ensure access to school-based mental health supports
Developing Effective School Mental Health Programs

Efforts to care for the emotional well-being of children and youth can extend beyond the classroom and into the entire school. School-based mental health programs can focus on promoting mental wellness, preventing mental health problems, and providing treatment.

Effective programs:

  • Promote the healthy social and emotional development of all children and youth
  • Recognize when young people are at risk for, or are experiencing, mental health problems
  • Identify how to intervene early and appropriately when there are problems
Learn More about Ways to Support Your Students and Their Families

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2. NAMI Resources and Programs for Schools

NAMI supports mental health in schools through advocacy, education and outreach efforts and programs. Our NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS) program is designed to educate and engage students in a discussion about mental health, while NAMI on Campus clubs are student-initiated on-campus advocacy/support groups that NAMI can advise and support.

  • Mental Health in Schools – NAMI – Read about NAMI National’s policy position on student mental health, and see how NAMI supports these principles via advocacy, education and outreach.
  • NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS) – NAMI Santa Clara County school outreach presentation for middle and high schoolers. NAMI Ending the Silence helps raise awareness and change perceptions around mental health conditions. In this 50-minute interactive presentation, we teach students to learn the warning signs for themselves and their friends. To schedule a presentation at your school, see NAMI Santa Clara County’s Ending the Silence program web page.
  • NAMI on Campus from NAMI California. NAMI On Campus clubs are student-led, student-run mental health clubs on high school and college campuses. Club members help raise student mental health awareness, educate and support their peers, and advocate for improved school mental health policies and services.

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3. Local Crisis Support and School Mental Health Resources

In case of a mental health emergency, crisis, or non-emergency need for services, school professionals should know about the following local Santa Clara County youth crisis and mental health support resources:

Crisis and Emergency Support  (within Santa Clara County)
  • In a life threatening EMERGENCY, call 9-1-1, and ask for a CIT officer (Crisis Intervention Team)
  • In a MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, call 9-8-8*. * Only for area codes 408, 650 or 669
    • For all other area codes, call 800-704-0900 and press 1
    • Both numbers connect you to the County Behavioral Health Call Center. Hours: 24-hours, 7 days a week

OR

  • Text RENEW to 741441 (Crisis Text Line)
Other youth crisis hotlines:
  • Bill Wilson Center Transition Age Youth Hotline: 408-925-0231 Hotline for youth ages 16-25 who may be experiencing a mental health crisis
Non-Emergency Mental Health Services (within Santa Clara County)
  • Mental Health Services for Children and Youth – The Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Children, Youth, and Family (CYF) System of Care supports the behavioral health needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families who are experiencing social-emotional and behavioral concerns. Includes school-linked services, outpatient specialty services and substance use treatment for youth.
  • The HEARD Alliance – (Health Care Alliance for Response to Adolescent Depression) Provides resources and information for supporting youth with depression and related conditions, and preventing suicide in adolescents and young adults.
  • *NOTE* Multiple other local mental health related resources for children and youth are listed in the following NAMI SCC web pages:

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4. Suicide Prevention Information and Tools

Suicide, especially among teens and young adults, is a significant public health concern. But suicide is also preventable. Find out more about suicide and the many suicide prevention resources available locally, nationally and on-line. Know the risk factors, the warning signs and the steps you can take to protect yourself, your friends or your child, adolescent and young adult.

Remember: The new nationwide (and local) suicide crisis phone number is now 9-8-8. If you are concerned that a student or other person may be at immediate risk of suicide:

  • Call 9-8-8*. * Only for area codes 408, 650 or 669
    • For all other area codes, call 800-704-0900 and press 1
  • Learn about suicide prevention in schools from Santa Clara County Behavioral Health
  • Schools – The Columbia Lighthouse Project – Asking about suicide is vital for suicide prevention is schools and universities. The Columbia Lighthouse Project supports suicide prevention by informing people about the Columbia Protocol, also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). C-SSRS is an evidence-based tool that simplifies suicide risk screening through a series of plain-language questions that anyone can ask. The questions help users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, determine the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauge the level of support that the person needs.
  • School Suicide Risk Screening – MHSOAC (ca.gov) – A 90-minute webinar recorded training on suicide risk screening in school settings
  • *NOTE*See NAMI SCC web page “Suicide Awareness and Prevention” for more suicide prevention information, including crisis lines and local services

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