Mental health is shedding its stigma and moving out of society’s shadows to become a critical component in education and accepted medical care component.
Proof of this long-overdue transformation includes more than $140,000 Saugus Public Schools received at the end of 2022 to bolster social and emotional learning and $288,000 in grants announced this week to expand Salem State University’s student mental health services.
Social emotional learning drew educators’ attention prior to the COVID-19 pandemic with Swampscott Superintendent of Schools Pamela Angelakis taking a lead locally in focusing on student mental health.
But COVID social distancing impositions consigned students to at-home learning — or no learning — and slammed mental concerns into overdrive.
“We’ve heard over and over from families just how challenging mental health has been for kids, especially coming out of COVID and also just mental health in general,” said Saugus Superintendent of Schools Erin McMahon.
Saugus schools will use the federal money to work with mental health providers to help students. Some of the money will be spent to hire part-time community mental health liaisons for each of the town’s three schools.
The liaisons would work together to help build a foundation for providing long-term mental health services, said Deputy Superintendent Margo Ferrick.
The state money Salem State received will allow all students to have five free counseling sessions with a therapist off-campus in addition to the counseling services available on-campus.
Also funded are increased trainings for students, faculty and staff on mental health and on how to support and refer students for help to prevent substance abuse and suicide.
“We know that nationwide, transitioning to college is a huge adjustment particularly for the students who experienced the pandemic in high school,” said Elisa Castillo, Salem State associate dean of students for wellness.
Putting mental health on the education priority list means more students can get the help they need. With the money in hand, it’s up to school to, in Castillo’s words, “meet students where they are.”
“This is a big deal,” said Saugus’ McMahon.
