Legislative ForumMental Health and School Success

Creating a Shared Agenda in Ohio

Dr. Mike Hogan

Director, ODMH

Chair, President’s Commission on Mental Health

What is Mental Health and School Success?

• A fact: the two are linked for children and schools

• An Ohio collaboration:– School and mental health personnel, parents

and students, ODMH and ODE, University staff and faculty

– Diverse efforts in many but not all communities to work together

• A commitment, not a program.

President George W. Bush Announcing the New Freedom Commission Albuquerque, New Mexico: April 29 2002

• “Consider this example -- a 14-year-old boy who started experimenting with drugs to ease his severe depression. This former honor student became a drug addict. He dropped out of school, was incarcerated six times in 16 years. Only two years ago, when he was 30 years old, did the doctors finally diagnose his condition as bipolar disorder, and he began a successful program, a successful long-term treatment program.”

• “The Commission’s goal shall be to recommend improvements to enable adults with serious mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbance to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities.”

President’s Executive Order, April 2002

20%20%

Data from the President’s Commission: Seriousness of the Problem

Prevalence of Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)

9-13%

5-9%Youth with SED & very serious problems in home or at school

9-13% Youth with SED & some problems at home, school

20% Youth with any diagnosable disorder

5-9%

Most Children in Need are Not Getting Help

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

White African-American

Latino other

% U

nse

rved

Calculations based on data from the National Health Interview Study, Sturm et.al, 2000

Unmet Need for Mental Health Services

Surgeon General on Suicide; Data -1997

• For young people 15-24, suicide is third leading cause of death

• Rate for ages * 10-14 - 1.6 /100,000

* 15-19 - 9.7 /100,000

* 20-24 - 14.5 /100,000

• In 1996, more youth and young adults died from suicide than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, stroke, pneumonia, & birth defects COMBINED

President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

““...[T]he Commission proposes a ...[T]he Commission proposes a combination of goals and combination of goals and recommendations that together recommendations that together represent a strong plan for action. represent a strong plan for action. No single goal or recommendation No single goal or recommendation alone can achieve the needed alone can achieve the needed

changes.”changes.”

Commission Commission ReportReport

National Goals To Transform Mental Health Care

• Establish Mental Health as Essential to Health• Provide Consumer and Family Centered Care• Eliminate Disparities in Mental Healthcare

• Early Mental Health Screening and Treatment Across the Lifespan

• Provide The Best Care Science can Discover and Offer

• Capitalize on Technology

National Goals with RecommendationsTo Transform Mental Health Care

• Establish Mental Health as Essential to Health• Provide Consumer and Family Centered Care• Eliminate Disparities in Mental Healthcare• Early Mental Health Screening and Treatment

Across the Lifespan – Improve and Expand School Mental Health

Programs

• Provide The Best Care Science can Discover and Offer

• Capitalize on Technology

Why Mental Health Services in Schools?

• It’s where the students are!• Mental illness/emotional disturbance a major cause of

school failure• Families more comfortable in community setting• Minimize stigma • Teachers and all students benefit from a supportive

learning environment• Ability to collaborate and advocate directly for

education needs of students• Greater ability to reach kids with “internalizing

disorders”

Mental Health Contributes to School Success!Results from Fairless Schools and “Care Team”

• Graduation rate up 26 points to 92%• ACT scores up 13% to 21• Proficiency scores Up:

– Reading: 95% (+28%)– Writing: 96% (+45%)– Math: 85% (+117%)– Citizenship: 88% (+48%)– Science: 85% (+73%)

• Severe discipline down 79%

Legislative Forum: Recommendations

• Share knowledge about the link between mental health and school success—and the importance of school-based mental health services

• Schools and mental health must change the status quo:– ID and serve children early not late. Consider

school based screening– Improve training of educators and MH staff– Encourage schools to incorporate awareness

of mental health into the K-12 curriculum– Improve availability of and access to school

based MH services

Ohio Department of Mental Health Budgetas a Percent of State Budget (GRF and Total)

3.8%

3.6%

3.4%

3.2%

3.0%

2.8%

2.6%

2.4%

2.2%

2.0%

1.8%81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

% of GRF% of Total

Legislative Forum: Recommendations

• Educators, MH professionals and families should work together to shape approaches that address children’s well-being– Increase family involvement at all levels– Support/empower parents in their involvement

with schools and mental health providers– Actively support parent and student input– Improve collaboration between SBMH and

community based services

Thank You For Your Concern

And Your Support