Student Mental Health Is A Focus

Schools Helping Children Deal With New Environment

WHEELING -- The life of a child already can be very stressful at times.

Now they are largely confined to home, as they, their family members or friends could get sick.

A child's new environment might just be downright scary to them, according to local mental health experts.

Jason Frohnapfel, a counselor with Achieve Behavioral Health in Shadyside, works with local school districts to help children with mental health issues.

As schools have been closed amid the cornonavirus outbreak, he has been checking in on some young patients -- setting up telecounseling appointments and face-to-face appointments with others when needed.

"Some of them are scared," Frohnapfel said. "There is a lot of uncertainty during this time -- not just for little people, but for adults, too."

The fear maybe isn't as persistent in children as it is for adults, he said. They become engaged in play or their attention is diverted by other things.

"But it's definitely scary for them," Frohnapfel said. "Their norms have been changed.

"Their wake up times and bedtimes have all been altered. They don't know if these will be re-implemented, or have been lost."

Then there are classes online and the need to complete school lessons at home. Adapting to change creates stress for children, he said.

"Anytime there is change it is hard, and this is a great amount for kids," he said. "I try to get them to focus on areas they have control over. I work with them to have a good attitude, try hard, get outside, play on the porch and play more games with family members.

"I also try to get them to validate their feelings. I tell them it's OK to have feelings and be angry or frustrated. It is what you do with them that is healthy or unhealthy."

Nicole Shepherd, behavioral health specialist with Ohio County Schools, said the school district has had three main prongs of student focus during the coronavirus crisis. These are seeing that the students are fed each day; that their mental outlook, attitude and home environment are healthy; and that academics and learning continue.

"We are doing a few things in the meantime to support mental health," she said. "We have counselors working on universal prevention lessons. These lessons are the same for students as if they were in school. They will include lessons on meditation, mindfulness, coping strategies."

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will see these in the instructional packets they receive. The lessons go along with their art and physical education lessons.

School counselors, meanwhile, are continuing to check on students who may need help.

"We are definitely aware this situation adds stress to the situation for many students," Shepherd said. "They have a new dynamic, and are sharing space.

"We are feeding them, checking in on them, and being alerted to any adverse circumstances they might be facing."

She said many teachers are going online to address the students, read them stories and be a familiar face for them.

"Our biggest message is that academics are important," Shepherd said. "But in a time like this, we hope the students are home happy, safe and well fed. That's more important than academics."