Even before the start of the pandemic, up to 20% of children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 17 years in the United States were reported to have a behavioral, mental, emotional, or developmental disorder. The onset of the pandemic in 2020 added more instability to the mental health care for at-risk youth, with illness, fear, anxiety, and isolation disrupting everyday routines.
A public health advisory by the Office of the Surgeon General revealed that young people who were already vulnerable, such as racial and ethnic minorities and those living in impoverished areas, were experiencing great increases in psychological distress. This information was not news to administrators in the Sapulpa Public Schools, a district of 3,700 students in a rural area outside of Tulsa, OK. Many Sapulpa students live in poverty, with 75% qualifying for free- or reduced-price lunch. In addition, due to high incarceration and drug abuse rates, many are not living with their biological parents. Currently, about 50% of district students are raised by a grandparent or someone other than a biological parent. Depending on the circumstances, some children may experience impacts on their mental health and overall well-being as they navigate new family dynamics and changing living situations.
To help address the massive need, Sapulpa Public Schools partners with mental health facilities, including CREOKS Health Services, so that children can receive treatment at school. CREOKS Health Services is a non-profit organization providing comprehensive health, wellness, and social services with 24 locations across Eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas. Partnerships like this that offer school-based mental health services have been found to have profound positive effects on children, but effective collaboration between schools and therapists is key.
Digital Tool Connects Student Referrals to Mental Health Providers
In 2023, Lindsey Shreve-Fielding, LCSW and Assistant Site Director for CREOKS in Sapulpa and West Tulsa, introduced CHESS Health’s eIntervention solution, a digital closed-loop system that allows the school district to directly refer students to CREOKS for essential mental health and substance use services, facilitating vital connections to care. Her partner within the Sapulpa schools is Bridget Shibley, who holds the unique position of Mental Health Coordinator. Bridget manages all student referrals from any school in the district.
A former elementary principal in the district, Bridget has firsthand experience with the needs of Sapulpa students. About 10% of district students receive care from an embedded therapist, she said, and the issues the therapists are helping the children manage are heavy—suicidal ideation, self-harm, anxiety, and behavior management are the most common. Ensuring that these children get in-school therapy is essential because it’s highly unlikely that a parent or guardian would take a child for therapy outside of school.
With eIntervention as the bridge, Bridget and Lindsey can easily collaborate to ensure the kids are covered. Bridget reviews the referrals weekly, and she and Lindsey communicate frequently. Once a month, they meet to discuss the status of referrals. They review closed cases and brainstorm on any open referrals that haven’t moved forward, often because they haven’t been able to get in touch with parents or guardians to green light care for a child, a guardian is reluctant to approve care, as well as other barriers to completing referrals. eIntervention has greatly simplified the process, allowing Bridget and Lindsey to easily track the status of referrals, ensuring that no child in need falls through the cracks. “Better communication has been the overall benefit. I’m able to keep track and to follow through, to get back to principals and counselors,” Bridget said.
Quick Path to Treatment Prevents Tragic Outcomes
In addition to better communication, the progress is trackable which is a critical requirement for their federally funded mental health programs. The closed-loop system means she can report on the status of cases and pull data at any time.
Further, the time between referral and intake has decreased dramatically. With the serious mental health issues students are facing, such as thoughts of suicide or self-harm, moving quickly is important. Bridget said it used to take weeks or months for a student to be seen. Now, it is typically within one week.
Acting swiftly to tackle mental health issues in children is essential—not just important. Early intervention is crucial in preventing challenges from escalating into severe, long-term problems, ultimately enhancing a child’s capacity to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Initiatives like Sapulpa’s partnership with CREOKS, enabled by innovative tools like eIntervention, showcase how forward-thinking solutions can effectively bridge gaps in care for vulnerable populations. By ensuring children have access to therapy and support, schools and communities can empower them on their journey toward resilience and success.
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Untreated Mental Health Issues Tax School Systems.
According to a National Center for Educational Statistics report, nearly 90 percent of U.S. schools provided increased social and emotional support for students during the 2021-22 school year*. Efforts to support rising student mental health needs are challenged, however, as about 40 percent of schools also noted they lacked access to licensed professionals and mental health funding. To address the concerns, more than $275 million in emergency school funds were spent on mental health support for students and staff in the same time period, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
In addition to placing a heavy burden on school district resources and the escalating costs of mental health support, the impact of untreated mental illness can affect students, their families, and school communities in multiple ways, including:
With so much at stake, finding solutions to help schools identify students who need mental health interventions and connect them to care is more critical than ever. School-based or school-linked mental health care services can help to reduce the barriers to needed treatment and support and provide hope for students and families.
*This is the most current report, and was updated in July 2024.
