CREJ

Page 6 — Health Care & Senior Housing Quarterly — April 2021 www.crej.com HEALTH CARE — TRENDS A s the importance of mental health moves more into the mainstream conversation, particularly as we grapple with the fallout from the pandemic, there should be increased focus on ensuring all have destig- matized access to leading mental health care facilities and resources in their communities and daily lives. One demographic for prioritized focus and investment when it comes to mental health is our pre-K-12 schoolchildren. This past year has been extremely challenging for children and teen- agers. Most children have lost nearly an entire year of in-person schooling. They’ve all experienced increased isolation to varying degrees. Many have lost loved ones or watched family members become ill. The daily news cycle has been tumultuous. There is data in Colo- rado and nationwide that reveals increased food insecurity, child abuse and more. These realities are impacting chil- dren who already were in need of mental health support prepandemic. One in 6 American children ages 2-8 years had a diagnosed mental, behavioral or developmental dis- order, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, about 3 in 4 children ages 3-17 years with depression also have anxiety and almost 1 in 2 have behavior problems. Pre-K-12 schools should be a front- line resource for these children, as these are places they frequent that can make a significant impact on helping children feel safe and sup- ported. Before the pandemic, mental health resources within schools were fairly lim- ited. The American School Counsel- ing Association recommends one counselor for every 250 students. Yet, the average is one counselor is responsible for approximately 482 students. Furthermore, the reality is that some schools, especially those that lack funding or are in under- resourced districts, do not have school counselors at all or share one counselor across multiple locations. Gone are the days where school counselors mainly focused on help- ing students navigate academic pressures or college applications. Now counselors and similar workers must handle extreme personal and social issues for students – all ampli- fied in the coming decade for chil- dren who have suffered to varying degrees over the last year. Providing dedicated, thoughtfully designed spaces for these resources can help make students feel safe and confi- dent in receiving care without stig- ma and allow counselors to know that their important work is not an afterthought in the school system. Fortunately, there’s positive move- ment on this front across Colorado. Here is a snapshot of current reali- ties: • The Colorado Association for School-Based Healthcare offers sup- port for districts looking to create health clinics, noting they are an effective way to improve students’ access to care, particularly in low- income communities where stu- dents may have social, economic and geographic barriers to resourc- es. • There are currently 69 school- based health centers in Colorado (most located in the Denver/Boul- der area). Recently, the Colorado Health Institute identified Colorado public school districts that would most benefit from creating a new SBHC and found the biggest need for access to care at schools that serve predominantly students of color, schools in rural Colorado and schools in underserved urban parts of Colorado, particularly Pueblo and Adams counties. • Cherry Creek School District in Denver announced plans to build a dedicated mental health care facil- ity that all students may access. This was funded by a bond initiative, indicating that voters agree this is a necessary component of school that supports overall student success. Identifying the need and where it is greatest is a huge first step. Now, as school districts look to create new and different kinds of spaces for mental health, they should pull from the extensive evidence-based research that health care designers already reference. At baseline, there Accelerate mental health care access in schools Stacey Root Denver health practice leader, CannonDesign Schools should be a front-line resource for children. Providing dedicated, thoughtfully designed spaces for these resources can help make students feel safe and confident in receiving care without stigma and allow counselors to know that their important work is not an afterthought in the school system. Please see Root, Page 15