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How to Communicate With Families When Recommending Treatment for Their Child

Author:
Jemma Strain
Jemma Strain
B.S. Psychology
Editor:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
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If a student broke a bone, or had any other incident at school which damaged their physical health, teachers wouldn’t hesitate to phone their parents. However, talking to families about mental health conditions can feel scary – what if they don’t react the way you hope or appreciate your involvement? 

It’s safe to say, for the most part, that parents want the best for their child’s well-being. While receiving concerns about their child’s mental health may not be pleasant, they will likely understand that you’re looking out for them. Moreover, parents and caregivers usually know their child best, so sharing and receiving any concerns increases the chance that a teenager will get the support they need. 

If you’re concerned about a student’s mental health and are wondering how to talk to parents about mental health treatment, professional guidance and support are available. This article can also help by covering:

  • Why discussing mental health care with families is important
  • How to talk to parents about mental health treatment
  • Handling family resistance to mental health treatment
  • How to guide families towards treatment options
  • Talking about residential treatment with families
How to Communicate With Families

Why Discussing Mental Health Care With Families Is Important

Recently, the National Survey of Children’s Health estimates that over 20% of children in the U.S. aged between 12-17 years have a mental health condition. To put it another way, that’s 5.3 million teenagers who are coping with conditions such as anxiety, depression, or behavioral issues. When faced with such high numbers, many teachers and educators may wonder if family involvement could help – and how to go about including them. 1

Communicating effectively with parents about mental health is highly important; it builds trust, increases understanding, and can ensure that a student gets the support they need. Together with families, educators can combine knowledge, experiences, and opinions to get a more whole picture of what a student may be going through. 

Aside from building a better understanding of what a teen may be going through, another benefit of discussing mental health with families is reducing stigma. Stigma can act as a huge barrier to receiving treatment, as it can increase feelings of shame or self-judgment in a teen. However, families can soften the effects of stigma and make it more likely that a teen will be open to receiving treatment.2

Finally, it’s important to discuss student mental health with families as it can mean earlier intervention and treatment – and better recovery outcomes. For instance, research shows that the involvement of loved ones in depression treatment leads to less severe symptoms and better social skills.2

How to Talk to Parents About Mental Health Treatment

While the previous section highlighted the potential benefits of including families in discussions about teens’ mental health, getting the ball rolling on the conversation can feel daunting. You might not know what to say, how to say it, or how it will be received. These are all normal concerns. Professional mental health advice can be highly useful, but preparing yourself in advance by reading up on the following tips can help. 

Tips for Talking to Families About Therapy for Children

While it’s important to talk to families about therapy for teens, it’s also good to consider the voice of the child in their own care. They may want to be involved in the conversation about mental health treatment, so this is something to think about ahead of a talk with their parents. 

1. Check the School's Mental Health Policy

Many schools have strategies and policies in place for protecting student mental well-being and promoting academic success. Talking to a colleague who is familiar with these protocols can help you understand the right steps to take for discussing student mental health with families.3,4

2. Remember to Be Respectful

Different dynamics, cultures, communities, and religions may have various values, beliefs, or pressures. It’s important to remember to be respectful of any individual factors when talking to families about mental health. 

For example, consider issues such as:

  • The style of language and tone of voice you use (for instance, no “jargon” or talking down)
  • A teen’s preferred pronouns
  • Specific circumstances, such as any disabilities
  • Language barriers and whether interpreters may be needed
  • Whether resources such as pamphlets on mental health are required
  •  

3. Connect With Parents or Caregivers

Reaching out to parents and caregivers is much easier than in previous years due to modern technology. You may be able to set up a meeting via email, text, or school apps that are used to organize assignments and information about upcoming events. While it may be easier to connect with parents, if you have concerns about a student’s mental health, it may be best to use these platforms to set up a face-to-face meeting about your worries.5

4. Express Your Concerns Sensitively

Be open and honest about what you’ve observed in a teen, but aim to keep your tone and language respectful with consideration of the issues discussed previously. You could perhaps choose to start the conversation with a positive about the teen, such as by saying “They’re always polite and well mannered to those around them, but I’ve observed some concerning changes to their behaviors recently” 

You could also think about what you want to say ahead of time, as sensitive topics such as mental health need to be considered carefully. Consider making some notes or observations about their symptoms to fuel what you need to say. 

5. Ask Open-Ended Questions

As parents and caregivers are in the best position to observe changes to their child’s emotions and actions, it’s important to listen to what they say and ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow parents to give as much information as possible, meaning you’ll all gain a better understanding of the student’s mental health. For example, instead of saying “Have you noticed any changes in their behaviors?” you could ask, “What changes have you noticed in their behaviors lately?” 

6. Listen Receptively

While you may already have an idea of what might be going on, it’s important to receive any information from parents with an open mindset. Parents may have witnessed different behaviors in a teen, or might be able to add more rich information to what you already suspect – which could be key for early intervention. 

Allowing silences, including empathy, practicing non-judgment, and paying attention to both verbal and non-verbal information are all receptive listening skills.6

7. Collaboratively Problem-Solve

With consideration of the information you and a student’s parents have shared, try to come up with some solutions together. You may talk about lifestyle changes, practical strategies to put in place at school, or how to broach the topic of mental health support. It’s good to be flexible in this approach, and also include the student’s voice in their care. However, discussing these solutions with parents means that teens will have informed support moving forward. 

While these steps can all help a teen get the support they need, there’s always the possibility that families might not be open to the discussion about mental health treatment. We cover how to handle such a situation next. 

How to Handle Family Resistance to Mental Health Treatment

Unfortunately, even if you’re concerned about a student’s well-being, you can’t control how families will react to a conversation about mental health treatment. For this reason, it’s best to be prepared for all possible eventualities. 

There are many reasons why parents might resist mental health treatment. For one thing, their beliefs about the causes of their child’s issues might act as a barrier. As an example, research shows that parents who believe that mental health concerns were caused by relationships with friends might be less likely to seek support.7

However, regardless of the reason why families resist treatment, the most important thing to do is to not give up. You can continue to express your concerns through emails, letters, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings. Additionally, you can provide mental health resources and seek professional mental health advice. 

Also, if families are not receptive to mental health treatment, schools often offer school counseling and peer support programs which may be of assistance to students. These programs have been shown to improve the mental health symptoms of teens with issues such as depression, so may be an effective short-term strategy.8

Recommending Therapy to Parents for Kids

If you’re concerned about a student’s mental health, you may want to recommend therapy to parents. The best type of therapy for a teen will likely depend on their symptoms and circumstances, but there are a variety of clinically proven options available for teen mental health. 

A school counselor or trained mental health professional may talk to you about therapy options for teenagers, which allows you to give as much information to parents as possible. The following steps may also help you guide families towards appropriate treatment options for a teenager’s needs. 

How to Guide Families Toward Treatment Options:

Encourage them to make an appointment with a doctor:

It may be a good idea to recommend that a student gets assessed by a doctor to rule out any physical ailments. This may be especially important if a teen regularly complains about bodily pains.9

Read about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT):

CBT is proven to be effective in treating many student 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.

Consider the student’s experiences:

Sometimes, a teen may experience mental health issues if they’ve experienced negative events, such as trauma. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (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.

Think about how they act around others:

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.

 

Take the severity of symptoms into consideration:

If you think that a teenager is a risk to their own safety, advising residential mental health treatment may be beneficial. This form of treatment offers intensive, 24/7 care for teens with serious mental health conditions. If a student’s symptoms are mild to moderate, outpatient mental health treatment may be more appropriate.

How to Talk About Residential Treatment With Families

If you’re concerned about a teenager’s safety due to issues such as self-harm or talking about taking their own life, it’s important to safeguard their well-being. You can do so by talking with the student, expressing concerns to other members of staff, and discussing the issue with their family. Aside from providing them with resources such as crisis hotline numbers, you could also discuss the option of residential treatment. 

When discussing the option of residential treatment with families, you could explain the following benefits.

Residential treatment provides…10-12

  • A 24-hour supportive facility, reducing the risk of harmful behaviors
  • A safe and structured environment, away from the challenges of daily life
  • The chance for deeper exploration due to intensive and frequent therapy
  • Significant reduction in symptoms, making a big difference to teenagers’ outlooks and optimism for the future
  • Peer support, through group therapy, helping teens see that they’re not alone and that there are healthy ways to cope
  • An improvement in family relationships, as families often play a big role in supporting teens in inpatient treatment
Teacher speaking to family about teen's mental health

How Mission Prep Can Help

Recommending mental health treatment to families for a student’s mental health concerns can be an overwhelming experience. You may worry about offering the right advice, fear parents’ reactions, or think you might be making the wrong moves. 

However, the only misstep when concerned about mental health is not taking action at all. Professional mental health advice and support can also be instrumental when talking to families about treatment. 

Mission Prep can help. Our team of licensed mental health professionals treat a variety of mental health conditions in different locations, offering both residential and outpatient care depending on a student’s needs. We help teachers and families create strong foundations for teenage mental health, and are available 24/7 to answer any questions, even if you decide our services aren’t right for your needs. Contact us today for more information or advice.

References

  1. Health Resources and Services Administration. (2023). Adolescent mental and behavioral health: National Survey of Children’s Health data brief. https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/data-research/nsch-data-brief-adolescent-mental-behavioral-health-2023.pdf
  2. Ong, H. S., Fernandez, P. A., & Lim, H. K. (2021). Family engagement as part of managing patients with mental illness in primary care. Singapore Medical Journal, 62(5), 213. https://doi.org/10.11622/smedj.2021057
  3. National Academy for State Health Policy. (2021, May 3). States take action to address children’s mental health in schools. https://nashp.org/states-take-action-to-address-childrens-mental-health-in-schools/#:~:text=May%203%2C%202021)-,Guiding%20school%20mental%20health%20policies,experiencing%20a%20mental%20health%20crisis.
  4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). Protecting youth mental health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf
  5. UNC Health. (n.d.). How parents and schools can work together to support mental health. https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/how-parents-and-schools-can-work-together-to-support-mental-health/
  6. Shipley, S. D. (2010). Listening: A Concept Analysis. Nursing Forum, 45(2), 125-134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6198.2010.00174.x
  7. Gopalan, G., Goldstein, L., Klingenstein, K., Sicher, C., Blake, C., & McKay, M. M. (2010). Engaging Families into Child Mental Health Treatment: Updates and Special Considerations. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 19(3), 182. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2938751/
  8. UK Government. (n.d.). Children and young people’s mental health peer support. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a820b3d40f0b62305b922c5/Children_and_young_people_s_mental_health_peer_support.pdf
  9. Wrona, S. K., Melnyk, B. M., & Hoying, J. (2021). Chronic Pain and Mental Health Co-Morbidity in Adolescents: An Urgent Call for Assessment and Evidence-Based Intervention. Pain Management Nursing, 22(3), 252-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2020.12.004
  10. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Youth residential treatment – What to know and what to ask. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/youth-residential-treatment-what-know-and-what
  11. Hart, L. M., Cropper, P., Morgan, A. J., Kelly, C. M., & Jorm, A. F. (2019). Teen Mental Health First Aid as a school-based intervention for improving peer support of adolescents at risk of suicide: Outcomes from a cluster randomised crossover trial. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867419885450
  12. Zambrowicz, R., Stewart, J. G., Cosby, E., Esposito, E. C., Pridgen, B., & Auerbach, R. P. (2019). Inpatient Psychiatric Care Outcomes for Adolescents: A Test of Clinical and Psychosocial Moderators. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 4(4), 357. https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2019.1685419

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