Mental health resources for parents and students going back to school

SALT LAKE CITY — Back-to-school season can be exciting for some but challenging for others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children’s visits to the emergency room typically double right as they head back to school.

What is Utah doing to support youth mental health? Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, joined KSL NewsRadio to share some resources available to both students and parents.

Below is a partial transcript of this interview as well as the full podcast.

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KSL NewsRadio edited the following transcript for brevity and clarity.

HOST HOLLY RICHARDSON: Talk to us about what kids and parents face when going back to school.

GUEST REP. STEVE ELIASON: We see a dramatic increase in the utilization of the SafeUT app by both students and parents. And then, of course, counseling centers are closed during the summer, but then they have an increased workload as school comes back into session and all of the related stressors. So it’s a really good time to talk about resources for students and parents at this important time of the year.

HOST GREG SKORDAS: What do you think causes some of these students this anxiety that we’re talking about?

ELIASON: I think for the vast majority of students it is an exciting time of the year, but for some students, we know through the SafeUT program that bullying is one of the most commonly reported tips.

Of course, academic stressors, more interaction with other students, can cause relationship stressors, and then you kind of put all those together at the same time, and it can cause anxiety, depression, and related issues in youth.

RICHARDSON: Talk to us a little bit more about how the SafeUT app can help spot bullying.

ELIASON: We started this program to allow students to submit (anonymous school safety) tips, but we also thought, ‘Let’s try something new in Utah,’ and we allowed students to talk to a licensed clinical social worker under the “crisis chat” component of the app. It’s always confidential, and it can be anonymous if they want.

We’ve received thousands of school safety tips over the years. Many of which helped prevent acts of school violence. But what really took off in the app was students seeking crisis intervention. A lot of students will submit tips about what’s happening to their friends, like (if) they’ve witnessed somebody getting bullied or they’ve been bullied themselves. And schools are required to follow up on those tips that come in through the app.

SKORDAS: How can they access this SafeUT app?

ELIASON: Every school district has adopted it, same with every charter school … It’s available for students (in) grades K through 20, and then it’s also available for parents and teachers.

If a parent is needing some advice, they can either call or use the chat feature on the app to speak with a licensed clinical social worker. If you were to go book an appointment, you’d have to get your insurance out, find a time, probably get on a waiting list. SafeUT is there 24/7; they’re going to respond within seconds.

RICHARDSON: What other resources are available for young people who are suffering from mental health crises?

ELIASON: Pretty much every school district and charter schools have a youth protection seminar offered to their district. It’s usually held in the evening. A lot of times, they can join it virtually or in person. Some districts will have past youth protection seminars recorded. They go back and listen to segments. I’ve attended these myself. It’s just a resource night for parents to learn about what risks students are facing nowadays, what resources are out there, and how to talk to your kids about these issues. So you can check with your district about youth protection seminars.

Almost all of our districts now, and many of our charter schools, (are) doing free mental health screenings. And this is with written parental consent, and they have to partner with a local community health provider. But that’s a great resource to see if there’s an indication that maybe the child is struggling with something. And if the screener indicates there is an issue, then they have professionals there, both from the school and from the community.

One of the best resources that just launched is a youth crisis care center. This is at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah. You can bring a child there 24/7, 365. They accept all major insurance, including Medicaid. They can be assessed, and if they need additional services, they can chart out a plan to help them, and if they need to spend some time there to kind of take a further look at them, they can do that.

There’s this misnomer that asking somebody if they’re thinking about suicide can actually cause suicide. That is absolutely false. Numerous studies have proven that it’s a protective factor when you ask somebody, ‘Have you ever thought about hurting yourself? Have you thought about how you’d do that?’ And if those questions come back that they’ve really thought about that, calling SafeUT, texting SafeUT, and asking for advice on what to do next is a resource at their fingertips.

Listen to the full interview below:

 

Related: How self-care apps are helping Utahns find mental health help

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Suicide prevention resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or exhibiting warning signs, call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, which is answered 24/7/365 by crisis counselors at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. All calls to legacy crisis hotlines, including the old National Suicide Prevention hotline, 1-800-273-8255, will also connect to a crisis care worker at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute.

Additional resources

• SafeUT: Parents, students, and educators can connect with a licensed crisis counselor through chat by downloading the SafeUT app or by calling 833-3SAFEUT (833-372-3388)
• SafeUT Frontline: First responders, including firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, and healthcare professionals, can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUT Frontline app.
• SafeUTNG: Members of the National Guard can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUTNG app.
• Utah Warm Line: For non-crisis situations, when you need a listening ear as you heal and recover from a personal struggle, call 1-833 SPEAKUT 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The Huntsman Mental Health Institute offers a wide variety of programs and services, including suicide prevention and crisis services, hospital treatment, therapy & medication management, substance Use & addiction recovery, child & teen programs, and maternal mental health services, including birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
• LiveOnUtah.org is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing Utah’s culture around suicide and mental health. They offer resources for faith-based groups, LGBTQ+, youth, employers, firearm suicide prevention, and crisis and treatment options.

Counties in Utah provide services for mental health and substance use disorders. Centers are run by the thirteen Local Mental Health and Substance Use Authorities all across the state and offer therapy, substance use disorder treatment, support groups, mobile services, youth treatment, and more.

These resources and more information can be found here: https://www.uacnet.org/behavioralhealth.

Other community-based resources

• NAMI Utah provides education, support and advocacy for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers prevention programs, public education, support for loss survivors, and fundraising for research.
• Encircle Utah: LGBTQ+ family and youth resource center.
• Utah Pride Center empowers Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.
• The Trevor Project: LGBTQ teen resource center.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health
• Latino Behavioral Health Services
• Center for Workplace Mental Health offers suicide prevention and response for employers.