Building a mental health action plan for your school

Author:

Jemma Strain

B.S. Psychology

Editor:

Emma Loker

B.S.

Good mental health is the starting point for lifelong fulfilment and success. Positive well-being empowers students to realize their potential, cope with daily stressors, work towards goals, and contribute to their communities.¹

While many schools do all they can in their power to look after student mental health, many students still don’t seek mental health support when they need it. But why might this be?

There are a variety of reasons why students might not ask for help. They may feel shame or judgment, perhaps don’t understand that they’re experiencing mental health issues, or they might not know how to ask for help. Here’s where a strong mental health action plan for schools can be transformative.²

Mental health action plans for schools can foster better well-being, reduce stigma, and improve the chances of prevention and early identification of student mental health conditions. Plus, when mental health action plans are built into the culture of a school, all members of the school community can benefit – including staff.

While the benefits of a mental health action plan for schools are clear, what might not be so obvious is how to go about creating one. Professional support and advice are available, but this article can also help by covering:

What a mental health action plan for schools is
The benefits of building a mental health support plan
How to create a mental health plan for schools
Implementing mental health strategies in schools
When to seek support in creating an effective mental health plan

What Is a Mental Health Action Plan for Schools?

A mental health action plan is a school-wide strategy that staff use to promote student mental well-being, positive mental health conversations, and support for members of the educational community.

The Healthy Minds Study showed that, between 2023 and 2024, 21% of students reported that their mental health affected their ability to function at school for six or more days in a period of four weeks. Further, 24% said they felt affected for between 3 and five days, and 32% reported feeling impaired for one to two days. This means that a high percentage of students feel like they can’t focus, perform well, or succeed for a large portion of the school month.³

A mental health action plan can reduce the impact of mental health difficulties on students’ ability to function academically. It can do so by educating staff and students about mental health, connecting students to early support and treatment, and helping with implementing mental health programs.⁴

Yet, these are not the only benefits of building a mental health support plan. We cover these in more detail next.

The Benefits of Building a Mental Health Support Plan

The benefits of building a mental health support plan in schools are widespread, affecting all members of the school and community, and can include:⁵

A “whole school” attitude towards well-being: All members of the school and community can get on the same page for preventing, identifying, and intervening in mental health issues in students. This can lead to a more positive, open, and stigma-free culture regarding mental health.

Improved moods and emotions: A whole school approach to improving mental health can help students better understand their moods and emotions, as well as develop skills for managing negative ones.

More balanced behaviors: Once students better understand how their emotions and moods can impact their actions, they can become more balanced and less reactive to stressful situations.
Better academic outcomes: Mental health issues can seriously affect a student’s performance at school and outcomes for the future. Mental health support plans can prevent these issues from happening in the first place, help teachers and families identify them early, and provide opportunities for intervention.

Evidently, the benefits of mental health plans make the effort of creating them worthwhile. But how can schools get started with creating one? While different districts and schools may have varying policies on how to create mental health action plans, there are some general principles that schools can follow.

Principles for Creating School Mental Health Action Strategies

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to protecting students’ mental health, but there are a couple of principles that schools can follow when creating mental health action strategies.^4,6

Effective school-based mental health action plans should:

Be sustainable
Be youth-led
Empower young people
Focus on preventing mental health issues
Facilitate early identification of issues
Improve self-care and coping strategies
Be embedded in the school’s culture

While these principles can ensure that schools create the most effective action plans, going about doing so can be easier said than done. We cover some steps for creating mental health action plans which can improve student mental health, reduce stigma, and promote academic success.

How to Create a Mental Health Plan for Schools

Creating a mental health plan might feel confusing – considering the mental health needs of students, roles of staff and families, and how to measure outcomes can seem like a lot. Yet, even though making a mental health support plan does require some careful thought and planning, it’s possible to successfully do so by taking the following steps.^4,6

Also, if the process still feels too complicated, professional mental health guidance can help.

1. Review Existing Policies:

Your school or district may have a pre-existing mental health policy in place for protecting student mental health. It’s important to review any literature as a starting point for creating a new mental health plan. This way you can understand what has worked and what hasn’t in the past, and start to organize with knowledge and confidence.

2. Understand Your Starting Point:

Knowing the current state of student mental well-being can help schools understand how to proceed when creating a mental health action plan. Screening mental health through self-report surveys can give educators insight into the areas teens are currently struggling to cope. For example, mood disorders, behavioral issues, or a perceived lack of support may flag in these surveys, which would give schools a strong starting point for strategizing.

3. Involve All Members of the Plan:

Collaboration and involvement of all staff members is key to creating a successful mental health action plan. This means that principals, teachers, coaches, healthcare, and administration should all be included. Parents and community leaders can also be involved, so think about how you would like to reach out and regularly communicate with these people.

Consideration should be given to budget, and roles such as coordinator should be allocated to help ensure community-wide involvement and effort.

4. Consider Student Opinions:

To help students feel empowered, it’s important to consider their voices when creating an action plan. After all, a plan is less likely to be effective if the students don’t feel like it caters to their needs. You could create a “steering group” of students which can provide input on what they would like in a mental health plan, as well as updates on how they feel it’s working.

Consider factors such as:

How students should be selected to be part of the steering group
How often the group should meet
What the aims of each meetings are

5. Pinpoint the Goals of the Mental Health Plan:

Factoring in student opinions with staff knowledge of mental health issues in your school can help you create specific objectives or goals for the plan. Make sure these goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Reasonable, and Timely). Then, once you have these goals in mind, think about things like:

How will you be able to tell if the plan is working? For instance, will the school be regularly screening mental health issues?
How can you evaluate the mental health plan? For example, do you have steps in mind for updating it if it’s not working as planned?
Is the plan sustainable? Does the school have enough resources, budget, or collaboration from staff and families?

6. Collaborate With Community Professionals

Local information, support, and mental health services can help schools provide training to educators, as well as mental health education and therapy for students. Many schools liaise with community-based mental health professionals to provide on-site counseling and input on action plans. By taking these steps, schools can feel confident that they’re taking all the necessary steps to provide up-to-date and evidence-based mental health advice and support.

Each of these steps can help schools create and implement strong, effective mental health plans. However, it’s also important to consider the role of intervention. We discuss this topic in depth next.

How to Implement Mental Health Strategies in Schools

If you, a colleague, or a family member recognize the warning signs of mental health issues in a teenager, it’s important to know what steps to take. Professional mental health advice and support, such as from a school counselor, can help you understand how to intervene and assist you in doing so.

For instance, a mental health professional can provide educational professionals with strategies for managing mental health in the classroom, including:^7-9

Mindfulness Techniques

Teachers can encourage the use of mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing. These exercises can help students feel more present in the “here and now” rather than spiraling into the trap of worries or negative emotions.

Practical Strategies

If teachers notice that a student feels overwhelmed or stressed, they can learn how to manage these feelings in practical ways. For example, teachers might understand that reducing the amount of homework or focusing on time management can help.

Creating Safe Spaces

Schools and classrooms can create spaces in which students can feel safe managing their emotions. Our article on creating safe spaces can help.

Facilitating Peer Support

Teachers can link students with older peers with mental health understanding to help them understand that they’re not alone and learn how to develop healthy ways of coping. These peer support programs have shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of teen mental health issues.

If a student’s mental health interferes with their academic performance and daily life, professional mental health treatment may be necessary for preventing impacts on their emotional and physical well-being. The most suitable treatment for a teen may depend on their symptoms and circumstances, however, a mental health professional can talk you through the following therapy options.

Therapy Options for Mental Health Interventions in Schools

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is proven to be effective in treating many teen mental health conditions. It works by targeting teens’ thoughts and actions, identifying negative patterns, and helping them build healthy ways of coping. A school counselor may also use CBT techniques.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Sometimes, a teen may experience mental health issues if they’ve experienced negative events, such as trauma. EMDR is an effective way of treating trauma as it changes how these memories are stored in the brain, helping a teen move past trauma and form more positive beliefs.

Interpersonal Therapy

A teen’s relationships can contribute to mental health difficulties. Interpersonal therapy can help them work through these issues and figure out better ways of coping to improve their mental health.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

TMS can be effective in treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions. It’s a non-invasive therapy that uses magnetic fields to activate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain – improving outlook and mood.

When to Seek Support in Creating an Effective Mental Health Plan

Creating effective mental health action plans can be complicated. Strategies for managing well-being often include considering previous policies, what’s working and what’s not, and the current mental health climate of a school. Moreover, schools need to think about how to make open discussions about mental health part of the staff and student curricula, as well as how to intervene when concerned about a student’s welfare.

All of these factors combined can feel like too much to consider all at once – but it doesn’t have to. Professional mental health support can help schools create clear guidelines and strategies for better mental health, improving outcomes for students, families, and staff.

Mission Prep can help. Our team of licensed professionals treat a variety of teenage mental health conditions and can advise school staff, families, and teenagers who are concerned about mental health. Not only can we provide support in creating mental health action plans, but we also tailor treatment options to each student’s unique needs. What’s more, we can offer these approaches in various locations. Mission Prep’s team is available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns, even if you decide that our services aren’t right for your needs.

References

World Health Organization. (2013). Guidance on developing quality and safety strategies with a health system approach. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/89966/9789241506021_eng.pdf
Radez, J., Reardon, T., Creswell, C., Lawrence, P. J., Evdoka-Burton, G., & Waite, P. (2020). Why do children and adolescents (not) seek and access professional help for their mental health problems? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30(2), 183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01469-4
Healthy Minds Network. (2024). Healthy Minds Study: 2023-2024 national data report. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/HMS_national_report_090924.pdf
The Jed Foundation. (2021). Campus mental health action planning: A JED guide. https://www.jedfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/campus-mental-health-action-planning-jed-guide.pdf
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
Scottish Youth Parliament. (2019). Mental health action plan toolkit for education establishments. Scottish Youth Parliament. https://syp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Mental_Health_Action_Plan_Toolkit_for_Education_Establishments.pdf
Bostic, J. Q., Nevarez, M. D., Potter, M. P., Prince, J. B., Benningfield, M. M., & Aguirre, B. A. (2015). Being present at school: Implementing mindfulness in schools. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 24(2), 245–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2014.11.010
Gateshead Education. (2021). How to create and use a safe space in schools. Gateshead Education. https://educationgateshead.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/3535f-JH-How-to-create-and-use-a-Safe-Space-in-schools.pdf
Pfeiffer, P. N., Heisler, M., Piette, J. D., Rogers, M. A., & Valenstein, M. (2010). Efficacy of Peer Support Interventions for Depression: A Meta-Analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 33(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.10.002

Building a mental health action plan for your school

What Is a Mental Health Action Plan for Schools?

The Benefits of Building a Mental Health Support Plan

Principles for Creating School Mental Health Action Strategies

How to Create a Mental Health Plan for Schools

1. Review Existing Policies:

2. Understand Your Starting Point:

3. Involve All Members of the Plan:

4. Consider Student Opinions:

5. Pinpoint the Goals of the Mental Health Plan:

6. Collaborate With Community Professionals

How to Implement Mental Health Strategies in Schools

Mindfulness Techniques

Practical Strategies

Creating Safe Spaces

Facilitating Peer Support

Therapy Options for Mental Health Interventions in Schools

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Interpersonal Therapy

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

When to Seek Support in Creating an Effective Mental Health Plan

References

WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR INSURANCES

We Also Work With Many Other Insurance Carriers

PLEASE REACH OUT TO VERIFY YOUR BENEFITS

ARE YOU OR A
LOVED ONE STRUGGLING

with anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns?

QUICKLINKS

Facilities

What We Treat

What Makes Us Different

Privacy Policy

Phone: 866-845-1391

Email: info@missionprephealthcare.com

Corporate Office: 30310 Rancho Viejo Rd. San Juan Capistrano CA 92675

Copyright 2024 © Mission Prep Healthcare. All Rights Reserved

Building a mental health action plan for your school

What Is a Mental Health Action Plan for Schools?

The Benefits of Building a Mental Health Support Plan

Principles for Creating School Mental Health Action Strategies

How to Create a Mental Health Plan for Schools

1. Review Existing Policies:

2. Understand Your Starting Point:

3. Involve All Members of the Plan:

4. Consider Student Opinions:

5. Pinpoint the Goals of the Mental Health Plan:

6. Collaborate With Community Professionals

How to Implement Mental Health Strategies in Schools

Mindfulness Techniques

Practical Strategies

Creating Safe Spaces

Facilitating Peer Support

Therapy Options for Mental Health Interventions in Schools

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Interpersonal Therapy

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

When to Seek Support in Creating an Effective Mental Health Plan

References

WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR INSURANCES

We Also Work With Many Other Insurance Carriers

PLEASE REACH OUT TO VERIFY YOUR BENEFITS

ARE YOU OR A LOVED ONE STRUGGLING

with anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns?

QUICKLINKS

Facilities

What We Treat

What Makes Us Different

Privacy Policy

Phone: 866-845-1391

Email: info@missionprephealthcare.com

Corporate Office: 30310 Rancho Viejo Rd. San Juan Capistrano CA 92675

Copyright 2024 © Mission Prep Healthcare. All Rights Reserved

ARE YOU OR A
LOVED ONE STRUGGLING