What I Need to Know
In order to answer my essential question, I require answers to a variety of smaller questions to develop an overall answer.
- How do mental health professionals identify significant change in the mental health of a particular society? In other words, I want to know what data they are able to access to understand what problems are plaguing their area. Do they have surveys that allow them to know what specific issue to target, or do they implement programs that are non-specific to one issue? I need to know what causes a specialist to decide a program needs to be implemented.
- How do mental health professionals decide what programs to implement? I need to know how they decide a program will be effective within their community and why they choose one program over another. What research do they do before implementing a program? I also want to know if most specialists create their own programs, or if they choose to roll out programs that have already been tested in other locations.
- What works the best when implementing these programs? I need to know if specialists tend to roll out a program all at once or if they take it in small steps. In these situations, especially with sensitive topics, I can see these programs being more effective if they are diffused through society starting from a small population.
- How are mental health professionals fighting the stigma? I would like to know how mental health professionals are addressing the fact that mental health is still currently a very taboo topic in our society.
- What programs are mental health professionals beginning to implement? I know that this is an issue in society and that professionals are beginning to address it, but through what means?
What I Assume
I assumed that not much action had been taken to start fighting against the stigma of mental health problems. While most of society is aware that there has been a drastic increase in mental health instability, a lot of us still ignore it because it is a such a taboo topic. I had previously thought that people were shying away from addressing this issue because of the stigma. I did not know if any school systems had begun to confront mental health. Personally, I had received little education on mental health within school. We did have talks fairly infrequently with our counselors about bullying and sexual abuse throughout elementary and middle school. However, when I got to high school these conversations seemed to stop. Everything was focused on getting into college and achieving good grades in my classes. Based on these experiences, I assumed a lot of the United States was like this as well.
The majority of my research comes from my mentor, Mrs. Lindsey Simpson. She has been very open with me and allowed me to sit in various meetings to learn more about how she has begun to address mental health in my community. Mrs. Simpson and Ms. Katie Newman also answered a variety of questions for me about the programs they are beginning to implement. I have also researched academic journals that discuss implementing different kinds of prevention programs. One article discusses how they have implemented bullying prevention in their school systems and have seen dramatic results. From this article I learned the best way to implement a prevention program effectively to create the most dramatic change. There is an article that describes how if we utilize the public school system to give aid to students that are suffering from serious mental health issues, we can identify and give treatment to more students than we are currently capable of helping. This is one solution to the growing decrease in mental wellness. Another article discusses how suicide is an increasing concern in our community and we need to focus on educating social workers and teachers about some common signs of suicide in order to reduce the number of attempts. This emphasizes the need for more people to be educated on the topic of suicide. All of these articles have connections to programs or societal changes that I have discovered happening in my own community. I also conducted an interview with my mentor, Lindsey Simpson, the Prevention Specialist for Forsyth County. A few of the questions were answered by Katie Newman, a social worker in Forsyth. These questions gave me more insight into the professional world. This interview allowed me to learn more about the specific goals Forsyth County has and how they are attempting to reach those goals. I have also been able to observe a couple of community events Mrs. Simpson has created that aided in my research. Teen Maze and Ghost Out allowed me to experience what a big prevention program looks like. Mrs. Simpson worked really hard to create this event and I was able to learn more about how many parts go into an event like this.
What I Discovered
Many mental health professionals utilize surveys that they have created to determine the overall mental health of a particular society, especially within school systems. Students are often asked to participate in surveys, which gives professionals statistics to analyze. However, I discovered a more surprising way Forsyth County was able to identify an increasing mental health issue. Specialists recognized that students were beginning to be dependent on social media and were beginning to seek validation from outside sources, like the number of likes on a social media post. Professionals also saw an increase in suicidal ideation on social media platforms. This realization has prompted Forsyth County to develop specific focus groups to begin to respond to these issues. Overall, I have learned that the best professionals do not solely rely on statistics. The most effective way of determining the mental health of a society encompasses a wide variety of information, ranging from statistics to personal observations.
Collaboration is the biggest tool that professionals utilize when making important decisions. Committees are often dedicated to discuss a certain issue. These committees are dedicated to making a change within the community. So, they meet regularly to develop and implement prevention plans. These committees are composed of workers from varying professions to provide different perspectives. They begin by analyzing statistics and by deciding what exactly the committee wants to accomplish. From there, they create an action plan and work to achieve the goals they previously established. Frequently, these committees look to peer areas that have already established programs to determine what is best for their area. Collaboration is a key component throughout this entire process
Professionals must start small when implementing prevention programs. The most effective way to change the community is to start with a small focus group and then to spread the knowledge as far as possible. I have researched a school system in Connecticut that had a huge bullying problem. They started by educating those at the top; all faculty and staff are required to be knowledgeable about effective ways to prevent bullying. The more resources the community is given about bullying, the more comfortable adults will be in intervening when they see it taking place because they are knowledgeable about it. Slowly, the school systems began to teach focus groups of students about bullying and the negative effects it can have. Now, teachers integrate bullying lessons within their normal lesson plans (Letendre). This sets an excellent example for other communities because it exemplifies that not only can you reduce bullying, but it demonstrates that change can happen no matter the issue as long as you effectively introduce the change. It also indicates that it is not just the youth that needs to be educated; adults need to be educated on these topics as well so they can help create a change. It also makes me think, if bullying can be a topic regularly addressed in school, why can’t mental health be as well?
Overwhelmingly, I have learned that communication is the only way to fight the stigma. To create a change within our society, we have to talk about it. Forsyth County has held a couple of events this year that I have been able to attend that have started the discussion. Firstly, they held the first Suicide Summit. We have previously had Drug Summits, where parents are encouraged to learn more about drugs and their addictive qualities. The Suicide Summit was introduced this year as a response to the increase in suicidal tendencies within our community. It was an emotional event that educated those in attendance with important statistics about suicide, but it also gave those affected by suicide the opportunity to tell their stories. Stories were told by those who had attempted suicide and by those who had loved ones that committed suicide. While this event was extremely emotional, it began the conversation. Another event I was able to attend and worked on developing was called “Wake Up”. This event was broken into two components. First, there was the Ghost Out which is a staged car accident. This was a shocking display of what occurs when there is a car accident. A huge amount of first responding vehicles were brought in the scene: police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, criminal investigation cars, and even a helicopter. Professionals demonstrated how they safely break car windows and remove doors to rescue those trapped. All of this was staged to shock the audience about how many resources can be needed to deal with serious car accidents and how terrible they can be. The second part is called Teen Maze and this was also created to raise awareness through experiencing life-changing mistakes first hand. Teens were given a variety of scenarios about drunk driving, violence, and even teen pregnancy and they then had to work through the consequences. I got to wear goggles that simulate being drunk while driving a golf-cart and I had handcuffs put on me; both of these were pretty terrifying experiences. Forsyth County is raising awareness and plans to continue doing so in the future.
While working with Mrs. Simpson, I have had the opportunity to learn about some prevention programs that are in the process of being implemented into Forsyth County. The first program is Sources of Strength, which is a program that aims to change social norms while also preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. Forsyth County now has two counselors that are Sources of Strength trainers and they will begin to enact change within two schools in our county. Signs of Suicide is another prevention program that gives tools to educate a population on signs of suicide. This is beginning this school year with 7th and 9th grade students. The aim for this program is for students to be able to recognize signs of suicide within their friends and get them the help they need. As part of my research, I read a journal article by a professor about how she has begun to incorporate suicide education into her classes for students in their second year of earning a Social Work degree. She specifically states that many people who commit suicide have seen a social worker, but those workers did not recognize the signs of suicide. This professor has begun to create change by educating these students about the signs of suicide so when they graduate they are able identify suicidal people more effectively (Scott). This emphasizes the need for education about suicide and its signs because even professionals are not able to recognize them. Taking the first step and educating the community is an effective way to prevent suicides. Forsyth County is also working on providing School Based Mental Health services, but that is still a work in progress. According to a book called “Mental Illness”, the author suggests that mental health screenings could help students immensely and argues that school systems should be providing these screenings. Students that suffer from undiagnosed mental illnesses may struggle with school and may end up not completing high school. If school systems were able to provide mental health screenings, especially early in a child’s life, students would be able to cope with their illnesses and continue on with their education (Williams). This is an advanced solution to the problem of growing mental health illnesses, but we have already made great strides to aid those that need it.
The answer to my question is far from simple. To summarize, professionals need to not only rely on physical data to comprehend the mental wellness of a community. It is essential that professionals collaborate with each other. Programs have to start small in order to be the most effective. All of these components will lead to a successful prevention program and ignite a change within the community. Finally, we have to fight the stigma together. Mental health is a taboo topic, but we can work along with mental health professionals and create a dialogue to fight this together.
Collaboration is the biggest tool that professionals utilize when making important decisions. Committees are often dedicated to discuss a certain issue. These committees are dedicated to making a change within the community. So, they meet regularly to develop and implement prevention plans. These committees are composed of workers from varying professions to provide different perspectives. They begin by analyzing statistics and by deciding what exactly the committee wants to accomplish. From there, they create an action plan and work to achieve the goals they previously established. Frequently, these committees look to peer areas that have already established programs to determine what is best for their area. Collaboration is a key component throughout this entire process
Professionals must start small when implementing prevention programs. The most effective way to change the community is to start with a small focus group and then to spread the knowledge as far as possible. I have researched a school system in Connecticut that had a huge bullying problem. They started by educating those at the top; all faculty and staff are required to be knowledgeable about effective ways to prevent bullying. The more resources the community is given about bullying, the more comfortable adults will be in intervening when they see it taking place because they are knowledgeable about it. Slowly, the school systems began to teach focus groups of students about bullying and the negative effects it can have. Now, teachers integrate bullying lessons within their normal lesson plans (Letendre). This sets an excellent example for other communities because it exemplifies that not only can you reduce bullying, but it demonstrates that change can happen no matter the issue as long as you effectively introduce the change. It also indicates that it is not just the youth that needs to be educated; adults need to be educated on these topics as well so they can help create a change. It also makes me think, if bullying can be a topic regularly addressed in school, why can’t mental health be as well?
Overwhelmingly, I have learned that communication is the only way to fight the stigma. To create a change within our society, we have to talk about it. Forsyth County has held a couple of events this year that I have been able to attend that have started the discussion. Firstly, they held the first Suicide Summit. We have previously had Drug Summits, where parents are encouraged to learn more about drugs and their addictive qualities. The Suicide Summit was introduced this year as a response to the increase in suicidal tendencies within our community. It was an emotional event that educated those in attendance with important statistics about suicide, but it also gave those affected by suicide the opportunity to tell their stories. Stories were told by those who had attempted suicide and by those who had loved ones that committed suicide. While this event was extremely emotional, it began the conversation. Another event I was able to attend and worked on developing was called “Wake Up”. This event was broken into two components. First, there was the Ghost Out which is a staged car accident. This was a shocking display of what occurs when there is a car accident. A huge amount of first responding vehicles were brought in the scene: police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, criminal investigation cars, and even a helicopter. Professionals demonstrated how they safely break car windows and remove doors to rescue those trapped. All of this was staged to shock the audience about how many resources can be needed to deal with serious car accidents and how terrible they can be. The second part is called Teen Maze and this was also created to raise awareness through experiencing life-changing mistakes first hand. Teens were given a variety of scenarios about drunk driving, violence, and even teen pregnancy and they then had to work through the consequences. I got to wear goggles that simulate being drunk while driving a golf-cart and I had handcuffs put on me; both of these were pretty terrifying experiences. Forsyth County is raising awareness and plans to continue doing so in the future.
While working with Mrs. Simpson, I have had the opportunity to learn about some prevention programs that are in the process of being implemented into Forsyth County. The first program is Sources of Strength, which is a program that aims to change social norms while also preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. Forsyth County now has two counselors that are Sources of Strength trainers and they will begin to enact change within two schools in our county. Signs of Suicide is another prevention program that gives tools to educate a population on signs of suicide. This is beginning this school year with 7th and 9th grade students. The aim for this program is for students to be able to recognize signs of suicide within their friends and get them the help they need. As part of my research, I read a journal article by a professor about how she has begun to incorporate suicide education into her classes for students in their second year of earning a Social Work degree. She specifically states that many people who commit suicide have seen a social worker, but those workers did not recognize the signs of suicide. This professor has begun to create change by educating these students about the signs of suicide so when they graduate they are able identify suicidal people more effectively (Scott). This emphasizes the need for education about suicide and its signs because even professionals are not able to recognize them. Taking the first step and educating the community is an effective way to prevent suicides. Forsyth County is also working on providing School Based Mental Health services, but that is still a work in progress. According to a book called “Mental Illness”, the author suggests that mental health screenings could help students immensely and argues that school systems should be providing these screenings. Students that suffer from undiagnosed mental illnesses may struggle with school and may end up not completing high school. If school systems were able to provide mental health screenings, especially early in a child’s life, students would be able to cope with their illnesses and continue on with their education (Williams). This is an advanced solution to the problem of growing mental health illnesses, but we have already made great strides to aid those that need it.
The answer to my question is far from simple. To summarize, professionals need to not only rely on physical data to comprehend the mental wellness of a community. It is essential that professionals collaborate with each other. Programs have to start small in order to be the most effective. All of these components will lead to a successful prevention program and ignite a change within the community. Finally, we have to fight the stigma together. Mental health is a taboo topic, but we can work along with mental health professionals and create a dialogue to fight this together.
Works Cited
Letendre, Joan, et al. "Teacher and Staff Voices: Implementation of a Positive Behavior Bullying Prevention Program in an
Urban School." Children & Schools, vol. 38, no. 4, Oct. 2016, pp. 237-245. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1093/cs/cdw032.
President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. “Government-Sponsored Mental Health Screenings Would
Benefit Children." Mental Illness. Mary E. Williams. Detroit:Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context.Web. 26 Jan. 2018
Scott, Michelle. "Teaching Note—Understanding of Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention: Curriculum for MSW
Students." Journal of Social Work Education, vol. 51, no.1, Jan-Mar2015, pp. 177-185. EBSCOhost,doi:10.1080/10437797
.2015.979095
Urban School." Children & Schools, vol. 38, no. 4, Oct. 2016, pp. 237-245. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1093/cs/cdw032.
President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. “Government-Sponsored Mental Health Screenings Would
Benefit Children." Mental Illness. Mary E. Williams. Detroit:Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context.Web. 26 Jan. 2018
Scott, Michelle. "Teaching Note—Understanding of Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention: Curriculum for MSW
Students." Journal of Social Work Education, vol. 51, no.1, Jan-Mar2015, pp. 177-185. EBSCOhost,doi:10.1080/10437797
.2015.979095