The Massachusetts Perspective
Art is meant to imitate life, not replace it. However, when it came to mental health, I first saw it in movies, TV, books and music, but only later where I spent most of my life: school. Even that is saying a lot though, as schools in Massachusetts are not required to teach mental health curriculum, so many go without.
My school, thankfully, covered stress, suicide prevention, healthy relationships, substance abuse and more. With the aid of Degrassi, a 2000’s Canadian show, the issues we learned in class were visualized and given dimension, and art imitated life once more.
Combining scientific theories like Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love with empathetic teachings like how to support friends in abusive relationships, we learned not only how to identify issues, but how to act or react to them in order to reap the best results.
Teaching compassionate mental health-based content in school is not only necessary to prevent issues, but also to solve them. We cannot expect the younger generation to improve without giving them the tools to do so, and with the loneliness epidemic and the increasingly artificial world we’re entering, those tools are doubly important.
Moreover, students, despite being the future of Massachusetts, are repeatedly told their mental health is not a vital concern.
Massachusetts’ Paid Family & Medical Leave allows employees to use earned sick time for mental health days, yet students are not afforded the same privilege, with the only incorporation of mental health in student education being the mandate that every district has a mental health plan. This leaves everything up to the school district and makes no state-wide consensus as to how to tackle mental health in schools, allowing wiggle room for districts to choose not to incorporate what may be vital education or support.
Other efforts include the introduction of bills permitting mental health-excused absences (like H.572, H.467, and H.3782), which provide students with the opportunity to prioritize wellbeing over academics through excused mental health absences, even if for a single day, but they have continuously been unsuccessful.
The New York Perspective
In New York, there is such a diverse population of students and people in general. However, the state does not always meet people’s needs effectively. One concerning issue is the mental health crisis, which is still on the rise. Yet according to CBS News, “The proposal to add mental health days has been introduced and failed in Albany for four years,” which would allow students to take day(s) off for mental health reasons. Given that mental health is just as important as physical health, giving a day or two off could prove to be very helpful for a variety of reasons. However, in that article it also states, “With data showing the pandemic dramatically impacted mental health, supporters say there is new urgency.”
There are few initiatives across New York or New York City to help combat this crisis. However, there are a few schools and workplaces that try to provide either paid sick leave or other alternatives (e.g. Mental Health Days).
I bring up the topic of these few alternatives because, as it turns out, my school is one of the few schools who give their students a day or two dedicated to their mental health! In our school, one of the main initiatives to help with the mental health crisis has been to host a recurring event (at times yearly, or each semester) called Mental Health Day (also known as Community Day). That day consists of exploring different attractions, activities, food sites, or even just walking trails within New York City. Each student is given the option to choose and rank their preferences of where they would like to go and are later matched with one of their preferences! Not only does this serve as a great way to connect with your peers and the city, but it also helps to give time off from studying and the constant pressure of homework, exams/quizzes, and even school-related extracurricular activities. It’s also important to note that my school is quite rigorous, like many other New York City schools, which only adds to the question of why other schools are not pushing to have similar initiatives. Truly, it can benefit students by reducing academic pressure and improving their overall attitude toward school.
Many students, according to my experience and surroundings, don’t always have the motivation to attend school, especially when they face constant pressure to improve and maintain their grades, attendance, and social relationships, all of which add to the many things that may also be going on at home. This places an urgent need for initiatives like Mental Health Days, or in addition, for people in our school and work communities who want to “help determine the cause of these mental health issues” and address them together. At the end of the day, mental health care is essential, and one step toward supporting students and employees is being more understanding and open to initiatives that allow them to be human, not just a statistic.
Providing mental health days is important because it gives students the same opportunity to pull back and identify when they need rest. It’s especially important in high schools where rest, more often than not, is traded off in favor of “better” results.
A Nationwide Perspective
There are at least 12 states across the country where mental health is a valid reason to take a day off and at least 9 states have mandated mental health to be taught in public school curriculum.
Beyond Massachusetts and New York, mental health is an incredibly underserved area and students across the country are suffering because of it.
According to NIH statistics, about 1 of every 2 teenagers aged 13-18 has experienced a mental health disorder and suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 10-34, meaning that there is a clear issue with tangible consequences.
The CDC also reported in 2023 that 40% of high school students have experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness and only around 30% of teens said their schools supported their mental health, even though schools have a duty of care that goes past physical.
However, strides have been made since the COVID pandemic made its mark on younger generations and exacerbated isolation, with numerous states adopting mental health policy that enforces a school’s duty of care to encompass mental health.
These solutions do not have to be targeted toward just high schoolers, the adoption of social-emotional learning, which teaches students how to effectively identify and regulate emotions, and the implementation of safe spaces like calming corners are just some of the K-12 initiatives taken for all students.
It’s also important to have a faculty that is committed to embracing mental health, which can be accomplished through staff training with resources like Youth Mental Health First Aid or something as simple as an administration-wide commitment to discussing mental health topics like bullying and suicide prevention over school announcements.
School psychologists are also beneficial in creating positive, destigmatized experiences for those suffering with mental health, and can be a valuable resource for underserved students to access the support they need.
Education is another vital facet to address, and incorporating mental wellness into all wellness curriculum can further solidify the fact that mental health is equal to physical health. Another option would be peer-to-peer based education, which is an immensely valuable form of education, as it connects the audience to the speaker. To utilize peer-to-peer education, schools could have student mental health advocates deliver presentations to their student body based on Work2BeWell’s Mental Wellness Modules like Gratitude or Emotional First Aid, or they could further support mental health clubs on campus through recognition of their efforts and administrative collaboration.
On a wider scale, districts or states can adopt mental health absence policies to support rest and breaks for students struggling with mental health, as it is a widely supported decision that prevents burnout and promotes healthy life habits.
Meeting Students Where They Are
The first step to addressing the youth mental health crisis our country faces is to meet youth where they are: at schools. Schools are uniquely equipped to train the young people of today to become empathetic and perseverant leaders of tomorrow. There are many actions schools can take to support their students, whether that be employing mental health professionals or simply furthering the conversation through morning announcements, and every single action taken is one that supports a healthy and safe future generation that is able to overcome, persevere and live life to the fullest working towards positive mental health.
Srika Balabommala
Srika Balabommala is a junior in high school with a passion for youth mental health, digital policy & more, and serves as a member of Headstream's Co-Creator Club. As an Activation Team Co-Lead at Work2BeWell, she leads advocacy and outreach efforts in order to create mental health change within students across the country & in her role at Strong365, she provides feedback on mental health advocacy campaigns from organizations & universities like the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University & Mental Health America. She has also deepened her understanding of mental health through her previous Fellowship at Nunchi, and has learned a lot about digital policy & guidelines through her participation on the Canadian Digital Governance Council's Youth Advisory Board. In this program, Srika is focused on bringing youth voices to the larger digital industry & hopes to be able to create a better digital landscape for young people. She believes that mental health and the digital world directly correlate for many people, but also believes in the power of youth voices in shaping the technologies used by them to improve digital well-being.
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Shiria Kazi
Shiria Kazi is a passionate social work intern, mental health advocate, and education equity leader dedicated to supporting youth well-being. In their role at a NYC school, Shiria collaborates with staff and students to address mental health challenges, leading initiatives like a no-homework policy during Mental Health Week and funding student-led activities that promote mindfulness and stress relief. Beyond schools, Shiria developed a civic action project through the New Girl City Program to implement mental health support policies across NYC schools. They also serve as a researcher and outreach lead at Helping Hands Immigration, expanding tutoring services and building an English-learning curriculum for immigrant communities. As president of Girls Who Code, Shiria fosters a fun, accessible learning environment and leads efforts in fundraising and resource management. They are also a peer tutor and mentor, supporting students academically and personally. Multilingual and community-driven, Shiria champions inclusive, youth-centered mental health solutions.
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