KANSAS CITY, Kan. — As Kansas City metro students go back to class either virtually or under a hybrid model, school districts are preparing to help those who are dealing with some mental health challenges.
School counselors are ready to help as many students as they can during this unprecedented school year.
Some metro districts are already back in session, including the Hickman Mills C-1 School District.
“For me it was nice to be able to get back in to those Zoom calls and see our kids and meet our new kids to our building,” said Julia Burrows, professional school counselor at the Hickman Mills School District.
Friday marked the end of the first week of virtual classes for the district. When Burrows peeked into the classrooms, she said, "They were interacting and they were learning and were excited to be back and be able to see their friends.”
But Burrows knows there could be some feelings of isolation as the kids learn online and not in a brick-and-mortar building.
“That causes anxiety and depression and all kinds of other things, and so they can reach out for help. That’s something that we also as counselors in the district are trying to promote,” Burrows said.
Over in Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, the district also is prepared with 46 counselors on hand.
“We are still able to connect with our students, obviously through a virtual platform, following up with families to check on them,” said KCK Public Schools Director of Student Services Lisa Garcia-Stewart.
The school district has noticed a shift in demand for behavioral health social workers. As classes begin next month, those workers will pay close attention to their students while learning virtually.
“Providing our students with resources around mental health or depression, isolation, moments and feeling of despair," Garcia-Stewart said. "We want to be the staple, the constant to let them know that we are just as eager to see them, virtually speak with them and still connect them to services."
During the pandemic, counselors say the stigma of mental health has shifted, with kids not afraid to talk about how they are feeling. They also have some advice for parents.
"It’s being as honest with them as you can for their age and just trying to explain to them that it’s just not safe and we want to be safe and you want your friend to be healthy and you want to be able to go back to school and see your friends," Burrows said. "So this is what we have to do."
For resources for both students and parents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some links here. KCK Public Schools resources can be found here and Hickman Mills School District resources here.
