JERSEY CITY, N.J. (PRWEB)
May 09, 2023

ECINS, the global provider of a unique, collaborative, cloud-based case management system for schools, commemorates Mental Health Awareness Month at a critical time for student mental health.

Schools are increasingly on the front lines of this enormous challenge, and ECINS’ The State of Student Mental Health Survey highlights these trends. The expansive survey solicited input from school social workers, teachers, counselors, administrators, and other stakeholders working on the front lines with students to enable, empower and inspire their success.

The survey found that 85 percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that students seem more stressed and anxious than in previous school years.

Mental Health Challenges Are Expansive & Impact Academic Performance

These findings align with the most recent CDC data, which found that teenagers, especially girls, reported increasing mental health challenges, experiences of violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the past year.

It’s also a continuation of a decade-long trend that saw a 40 percent increase in students reporting “feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness—as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”

Meanwhile, a long-term analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found a sharp increase in mental-health-related visits to emergency rooms by children, teenagers, and young adults over the past decade.

In the ECINS survey, 89 percent of respondents saw a strong connection between students’ mental health and academic progress, a reality underscored by broad declines in math and reading test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as the nation’s report card.

More recently, national test scores in U.S. history plunged, with just 18 percent of eighth graders considered proficient.

Schools Are the Front Lines of Support

The ECINS survey found that students are often willing to share their struggles with a trusted adult, providing an opening for school social workers, teachers, coaches, administrators, and other stakeholders to help students receive the support they need.

“As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s crucial that we provide our educators and school personnel with the tools, resources, and collaborative technology they need to empower students and promote their mental health and well-being,” said Gary Pettengell, co-founder and CEO of ECINS. “At ECINS, we are committed to helping schools navigate these complex issues by offering innovative, effective solutions that facilitate communication, streamline case management, and foster a supportive environment for all students.”

National Trends Indicate New Approach, Programs Needed at Community & School Levels

Understanding that hospital treatment centers are overburdened, including a devastating New York Times investigation that discovered hundreds of teenagers sleeping in emergency departments awaiting help, JAMA and other mental health professionals describe a “‘critical need’ to expand nonhospital treatment options,” including programs in schools.

Unfortunately, most school personnel feel unprepared to meet their multifaceted needs. ECINS’ survey identified technology as a solution, helping school personnel connect students to resources and support their growth and development.

As one respondent explained, “Collaborative technology exists and can assist [school social workers] to support more students.”

A proven, effective, and documented collaboration process can help improve outcomes, allowing teachers or other staff to quickly refer students to appropriate services and ensure they receive needed support. Technology solutions can help make the connection by tracking students’ progress, helping schools to better understand their needs and providing valuable data on the impact of intervention strategies.

ECINS HIPAA-compliant system helps provide that connection. This year ECINS and the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) joined forces to provide school social workers with collaborative case management that allows better communication and engagement between students and their support networks.

“When paired with other solutions, like universal screening, proactive counseling, and sufficient access to regular support services, we better support adolescents when they experience various mental health maladies,” said Pettengell.

To read the full report, click here.

About ECINS

Empowering Communities with Integrated Network Systems (ECINS) is the global provider of a uniquely collaborative, cloud-based student support and case management system dedicated to helping schools more efficiently and effectively implement and execute mental health support for students. The only solution of its kind endorsed by the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), the ECINS Case Management System enables school personnel to assess, manage, record, report, and securely share essential information about students with key stakeholders across schools and districts — all on one HIPAA-compliant system designed specifically to meet schools’ unique needs. Learn more at ecins.com.

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