As the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close across California five years ago, many students found themselves isolated, struggling with mental health challenges exacerbated by the uncertainty and fear brought on by the crisis. For many, the impact of this period continues to affect their emotional well-being, with lasting changes in how schools approach mental health.
An Unprecedented Surge in Mental Health Struggles
The pandemic led to a significant rise in mental health issues among students, with a notable increase in feelings of sadness and hopelessness. According to data from the California Healthy Kids Survey, 42% of 11th-grade students reported chronic sadness between 2019 and 2021—up from 32% in the previous four years. For many students, the isolation and disruptions to their routines created an environment of emotional distress, with the effects of this period continuing to reverberate today.
Benjamin Olaniyi, a junior at King/Drew Medical Magnet High School in Los Angeles, recalls how social media became a lifeline during the early months of the pandemic. “Social media made us feel more connected with the world,” said Olaniyi, who was in the sixth grade when the pandemic first began. “It probably made us more aware of mental health struggles that previous generations wouldn’t have been exposed to.”
This exposure to open conversations about mental health on platforms like Instagram and Twitter helped normalize discussions around issues like depression and anxiety, contributing to a cultural shift in how students view and talk about mental health.
Raising Awareness and Redefining Support
Experts argue that the pandemic served as a wake-up call, revealing a deeper, long-standing mental health crisis among youth that had previously gone unaddressed. Dr. Ijeoma Ijeaku, president of the California Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, notes that the pandemic forced society to confront mental health in a way that had never been done before. “It has forced us to look at our mental health in a way we had never looked at it before,” Ijeaku said.
For Gen Z, the shift has been particularly evident. Many in this generation have been outspoken about the need for mental health support, with phrases like “It’s OK to not be OK” becoming a rallying cry. As a result, the discourse surrounding mental health in schools has evolved dramatically since the pandemic began, with a greater emphasis on providing students with the tools and resources to navigate their emotional struggles.
State Efforts to Address the Crisis
In response to this growing need, California has made significant investments in mental health infrastructure. In 2021, the state launched the $4 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, which aims to support mental health services for individuals under age 26. This initiative has already had a lasting impact, including measures like a new fee schedule that allows mental health professionals on school campuses to bill Medi-Cal and other insurance providers for their services.
“We’re trying to fully employ people on school campuses that are going to be focused on children’s mental and behavioral well-being,” said Loretta Whitson, executive director of the California Association of School Counselors. She believes these investments are key to creating sustainable mental health services in schools.
The initiative is also part of a broader movement to create a more comprehensive “whole-child” approach to education, which prioritizes not only academic achievement but also student well-being and safety. As Whitson notes, the mindset around school mental health has shifted significantly, with more teachers and administrators recognizing the importance of mental health support in helping students succeed.
Challenges and Inequities Persist
Despite these positive changes, the pandemic’s effects have not been felt equally across all student groups. Experts emphasize that students from low-income communities and communities of color have been disproportionately affected by both the health and social ramifications of the pandemic. These students often faced more significant challenges, including crowded living conditions, limited access to technology, and a higher likelihood of losing family members to COVID-19.
Andrew Fuligni, co-executive director of the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent, highlights the disparity: “More affluent teens were more likely to have space to themselves, reliable internet access, and a safe outdoor space, while teens in lower-income neighborhoods were living in environments with higher levels of stress and illness.”
The Road Ahead
Despite ongoing challenges, experts are optimistic about the future of mental health support in California schools. Kendra Fehrer, founder of Heartwise Learning, notes that many of the changes to school culture that began during the pandemic are here to stay. “So much of the infrastructure is really enduring past the pandemic,” Fehrer said.
However, Fehrer also warns that true transformation goes beyond policy changes and financial investments. “The hardest stuff to change is stuff you can’t legislate,” she said, emphasizing the need for continued cultural shifts in how schools, families, and communities address mental health.
In districts like Laguna Beach, school counselors like Alexis Mele are seeing the positive impact of these changes firsthand. Mele works closely with a caseload of 250 students, meeting individually with each of her freshmen students and their families at the start of the school year. She believes that these personal connections are key to creating lasting support systems for students.
“A student was sitting at home this morning, waking up feeling like, ‘This isn’t going to be a good day, but I can go to the office and talk to Miss Mele, and that might help,'” Mele said. “That to me is everything.”
As California continues to invest in mental health support for its students, the challenge moving forward will be ensuring that these efforts reach every corner of the state, especially the communities that need it most.
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