PADUCAH — The likelihood that your high school student or their friend is experiencing mental health struggles is growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 1 in 3 high school students nationwide are.
It’s an issue we’re seeing locally, and one Paducah Public Schools is tackling head on. Superintendent Donald Shivley says tending to each student’s individual need is a priority.
As a teenager, you spend most of your time in school. So what happens when majority of your day is spent dealing with mental health issues?
“It’s really hard to say, ‘Here’s the main cause.’ It’s just, this is how a child feels or this is how the family unit feels,” says Shivley.
According to the CDC, that’s a reality for many students across the country. Paducah Public Schools is making sure the issue is on its radar.
“There are additional children that need some more intense counseling, and so we work with these families on how to do that. And those solutions can differ from child to child or family to family, relative to what those needs are,” Shivley says.
With social workers employed at every school, the district is working to cater to all students.
“Having those opportunities there is tremendous, and I think that meets our, you know, the vision to know every child by name and need,” Shively says.
The school district’s overall goal is to provide an atmosphere that keeps students feeling safe enough to share when they need help.
“It’s just trying to find unique solutions for each child or each family to make sure that we have a whole child,” Shivley says.
If you are looking for methods to help your teen who may be struggling, click here to learn more.
