(Julie Washington for the Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com)
About 70% of public schools nationally have seen a rise in the percentage of students seeking mental health services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey by the Institute of Education Sciences.
But only 56% of public schools report they are able to effectively provide mental health services to all students in need, according to the institute’s latest School Pulse Panel survey.
Schools in this region follow the national trend, according to data from the survey and anecdotal reports from educators in the Greater Cleveland/Akron area.
“Both students and staff alike are experiencing a bit of a mental health crisis right now,” says Erich Merkle, central office school psychologist with Akron Public Schools.
This could mean anything from depression and anxiety experienced by teachers and students, to schools having increased concerns over the students’ safety at home.
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