In October of 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics collaborated with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association and declared “a national emergency in children’s mental health,” and urged policymakers to take action.

Jean Skorapa is the superintendent of RSU 5, which includes the towns of Freeport, Durham and Pownal.

AAP President Lee Savio Beers stated, “Young people have endured so much throughout this pandemic and while much of the attention is often placed on its physical health consequences, we cannot overlook the escalating mental health crisis facing our patients.” One year later, in the fall of 2022 the group made another declaration stating, “The worsening crisis in child and adolescent mental health is inextricably tied to the stress brought on by COVID-19 and the ongoing struggle for racial justice and represents an acceleration of trends observed prior to 2020.”

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education, conducts the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey of students in grades 5-12 biennially. Districts receive the results of that survey the following year.

The data RSU 5 received this fall from the survey conducted in 2021 is concerning. Almost 30% of our seventh and eighth graders reported that they felt so sad for two weeks or more in a row that it stopped them from doing regular activities. Just over 23% of students thought of killing themselves. At the high school level, 34% felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row and nearly 17% seriously thought about attempting suicide.

Oftentimes students with mental health problems become disengaged with school, have poor attendance, or stop coming altogether. Others may engage in risky behaviors such as alcohol or drug use and high risk sexual behaviors. If left unaddressed, students will continue to struggle into adulthood.

The staff of RSU 5 is doing heroic work to address the mental health needs of our students. For example, the DropOut Prevention Committee at Freeport High School meets regularly to discuss how to support students at risk. Advisory systems have been enhanced at the middle school level. Responsive classroom practices have been fully implemented in pre-K through grade 5. All staff members work diligently to foster connections for students with trusted adults. In addition, counseling services are made available by social workers and guidance counselors. These are but a few of the many avenues that are pursued to support our students.

For the past two years, RSU 5 leveraged monies through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds to hire a part-time social worker at Freeport Middle School and a part-time position at Freeport High School. Although the funding is going away, the need is not. In addition, Durham Community School has a demonstrated need for an additional social worker and a dedicated health teacher. These positions will be discussed throughout the budget development process.

Although the statistics are alarming, we cannot give up hope. We all must continue to work together to support our youth, our future. Elyn Saks, associate dean of the University of California Gould School of Law, said it well: “The humanity we all share is more important than the mental illnesses we may not.”