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The children of Iowa die. Youth suicide is more prevalent in Iowa than in the whole country and, according to the Iowa-based Coalition for Childhood Mental Health Reorganization, a local coalition led by parents and working together to find solutions to the current child mental health crisis in Iowa, 64,000 children in Iowa with significant functional impairment due to mental illness who are not receiving all mental health services.
This is a troubling trend nationwide. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that one in five children aged 13 to 18 has or will have a serious mental illness. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 American children aged 2 to 8 years (17.4%) had a diagnosis of mental, behavioral or developmental disorder. This is not news for educators and community organizations working with children and youth. In fact, when asked, teachers often indicate that the mental health of their students is at the center of their concerns. Schools do their best and even with dedicated school counselors, more is needed. Many educators and advocates cite the increasing number of anxious students coming from the advent of social media and its impending presence and influence. Here are some sad lived stories of Iowan children struggling with depression:
- Colin *, eight years old, is overwhelmed by a sudden and inexplicable feeling of terror. His throat closes and his heart pounding. He is not able to tell his father why he is so scared.
- Marcus *, 10, is struggling to get up. He is always tired, suffers from constant headaches and stomachaches and misses school at least one day a week. The school nurse and the family doctor find no physical explanation for his illnesses.
- Wyatt *, 13, is impulsive and aggressive and can not seem to make and keep friends. He spends a lot of time in the principal's office for disrespecting, stealing and threatening his clbadmates. He was arrested by the local police department for various offenses.
- Emilee *, 16, looks in the mirror and sees a person much heavier than she is in reality. Emile looks healthy and happy, but in camera, Émilee eats bags of potato chips and cookie packets until she is physically sick.
- Cameron *, 15, identifies as a gender and comes from a conservative home where gender norms are strictly enforced. As a result, Cameron has feelings of worthlessness and depression.
- Mary *, 12, suffered a major trauma in her young life. She is angry and has a habit of seeing violence and sees it as a viable solution to problems.
Although the state of Iowa has long pbaded legislation to support mental health, the question of adequate funding and meaningful access to mental health resources remains unresolved.
Here are four examples of how schools and communities, with limited resources, are joining forces to creatively and effectively support children who may be suffering from a wide range of mental health issues.
Mindfulness for Schools – Dubuque, Iowa
Molly Schreiber, a yoga teacher and former elementary school teacher, formed a nonprofit organization called Mindfulness for Schools when she was approached by the Dubuque School District in Dubuque, NY. Iowa, to help create a program that teaches students strategies to help them learn to regulate their behavior.
Once a month, a yoga teacher meets an elementary clbad where students participate in a five-part lesson including: Mudras (breathing exercises), Sun Salutation (practice of moving your mind, body and breath), Heart of the lesson (where the focus is on a single practice of mindfulness), practice of guided awareness (by lying down, students use eye pads and learn that their minds can be used as a a tool to help them relax and relax) and at the end of practice (where students finish with simple words, phrases or songs that help them stay alert).
Once the yoga teacher is gone, the clbad teacher intervenes and follows up with a consistent mindfulness practice. "Almost all clbadrooms have breathing techniques in their safe place to help students calm down when they are upset," says Chris Nugent, principal of Fulton Elementary School. "We also use mindfulness applications that kids can listen to to calm themselves in. The teachers also use yoga postures and breathing to take breaks throughout the day."
Mindfulness for Schools, currently implemented in four schools, will be expanded to the remaining nine elementary schools in Dubuque during the 2019-2020 school year.
United Action for Youth (UAY) Pride Group – Iowa City, Iowa
LGBTQIA + people are almost three times more likely to suffer from a mental health problem such as major depression or anxiety. The fear surrounding discrimination and violence against these children can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and addictions. Funded by grants and private donations, United Action for Youth (UAY) offers a variety of programs for teens who want to grow and lead, including Pride Group.
Under the direction of three animators, Pride Group is a free weekly program for LGBTQIA + youth aged 12 to 18 and their allies, where participants can express their frustrations and injustices to the world, make fun of the well and establish close ties. The close ties created by these children give them the opportunity to explore and validate their identity.
Girls Circles – Scavo Alternative School, Des Moines, Iowa
Virginia Trexler and Heidi Bagg, retired counselors, volunteer twice a week as facilitators at Scavo Alternative School girls' clubs in Des Moines, Iowa. Participants meet in small groups of six to seven in the school counselor's office. There, students tidy up their mobile devices and spend the next hour doing one of two things: listening or talking.
Sessions often begin with a prompt from a poem or a pbadage from a book. A recently used invitation is from an excerpt from Michelle Obama's memoir, "Becoming." An article of conversation, a small element held by the speaker, is pbaded from student to student. The student in possession of the talking room has the floor and the opportunity to tell his own stories without comment or judgment from his peers. The sessions end with another poem or a reading. "There is magic in the circle," says Trexler. "It's their moment (the girls) to tell their stories. The circle creates a bond and depth for girls they did not know possible. They learn to trust each other.
Changing Lives Through Literature – Carnegie Stout Public Library, Dubuque City and Juvenile Justice Services, Dubuque Iowa
Changing lives through literature is a joint partnership that brings together youth referred to juvenile justice for a delinquent offense. In order to avoid more formal procedures, students participate in this five-week program that connects youth to literature. Under the supervision of Sue Henricks, director of the library, juvenile justice services and the coach of the juvenile justice school, participants gather at the local public library to read, discuss and write on various books. .
The books are chosen based on their realistic description of the challenges and barriers faced by youth, including peer relationships, family relationships, mental health, and cognitive restructuring. Selected books include "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, "Yummy: The Last Days of Southside Shorty" by G. Neri, "Breathing Underwater" by Alex Finn and "Ironman" by Chris Crutcher. Guided discussions allow group members to explore and reflect on the choices the characters make and how they relate to their lives.
The program has been highly commended, as indicated by comments from some participants:
"This course has helped me to interact more with others. I also like books because they show me somehow a different way of acting in different situations. But it really helped me see what would happen if I stayed in the same lane. "
"What I like in the clbadroom is the discussion … We all felt comfortable with each other to express what we thought about the books."
"It was a wonderful clbad. I would like to redo this course, but I do not want to come back because it means [sic] I got in trouble. "
"I learned a lot in this group. I learned that their [sic] are consequence [sic] to my actions. I also made new friends that I like well. We had a few days that were bad and took longer through then [sic] from others but we had a few days that were good and we went through fast. I think we all had a lot of fun and [sic] much grown up. "
The most recent data from the program indicates a success of 81%, with only 19% of recidivism.
* * *
To be clear, these programs and activities do not replace the professional mental health services needed by so many children. Meaningful legislation, funding and access are needed to protect our most vulnerable children. However, each program has something in common: an authentic and meaningful opportunity for youth to interact and connect with others in a safe and caring environment provided by knowledgeable and caring advocates.
* The names, gender, age and other characteristics of the students have been changed to protect their privacy.
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