A Voice for Mental Health in Education

Missouri State University invites you to attend the 17th annual Public Affairs Conference as a live virtual event Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2020! This year's public affairs theme is The Power of Voice. 

Links to all live webinar events will be listed on the Public Affairs Conference schedule website.

There is a mental-health crisis among American teens and young adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued reports showing that rates of suicide among young people increased 56% between 2007 and 2016. Jean Twenge, professor and author of iGen, states that there is a fundamental change in the way young people communicate and spend their leisure time. This includes less time with friends in person, less sleep and more time on digital media. Pandemic precautions further increased the need for educational institutions to adopt digital instruction. While remote learning has its benefits, the extra stress, anxiety and unfavorable home environments may worsen the mental health crisis for teens and young adults. What responsibilities do educators have to provide or increase mental health resources, especially in virtual-learning environments? How can prevention efforts be specialized to help populations at increased risk, such as certain racial and ethnic groups and LGBTQ teens? How can parents best be educated to detect early warning signs of emotional distress? Should allowances be made for in-person communication when students show signs of mental-health issues?

Free