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The goal of Cleburne County Schools Mental Health Services is to provide the necessary support and interventions in a timely manner to ensure that a student's needs are being met. This work is a team effort between the Mental Health Services Coordinator, school counselors and community partners. If further services are deemed necessary, a referral for a mental health screening and assessment is offered to all students that are attending Cleburne County schools with the School-Based Mental Health Collaborative between our schools and Highland Health System. School-based mental health services are offered to all the students in need of additional counseling services outside the realm of the school counselor and social worker.
Information
- Mental Wellness Resources for Parents
- Social Media and Mental Wellness
- School Refusal / Anxiety
- School-Community Liaison
- Free National Hotlines for Help
Mental Wellness Resources for Parents
What is mental health and wellness?
Simply defined mental health and wellness includes our emotional, psychological and social well being. It is how we think, feel, and act. Raising and being a child can be challenging. Even under the best circumstances, behaviors and emotions can change rapidly. All children are sad, anxious, irritable, or aggressive at times. They can also have a hard time sitting still, paying attention, and interacting with others. In most cases, these are just typical developmental phases. However, such behavior may indicate a more serious problem in some children.
Mental disorders can begin in childhood. Examples include anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without treatment, these mental health conditions can prevent children from reaching their full potential.
When to seek help for your child?
How can you tell the difference between challenging behaviors and emotions that are a normal part of growing up and those that are cause for concern? In general, consider seeking help if your child’s behavior persists for a few weeks or longer; causes distress for your child or your family; or interferes with your child’s functioning at home, at school, or with friends. If your child’s behavior is unsafe, or if your child talks about wanting to hurt themselves or someone else, seek help immediately.
Young children may benefit from an evaluation and treatment if they:
- Have frequent tantrums or are intensely irritable much of the time
- Often talk about fears or worries
- Complain about frequent stomach aches or headaches with no known medical cause
- Are in constant motion and cannot sit quietly (except when they are watching videos or playing video games)
- Sleep too much or too little, have frequent nightmares, or seem sleepy during the day
- Are not interested in playing with other children or have difficulty making friends
- Struggle academically or have experienced a recent decline in grades
- Repeat actions or check things many times out of fear that something bad may happen
- Older children and adolescents may benefit from an evaluation and treatment if they:
- Have lost interest in the things that they used to enjoy
- Have low energy
- Sleep to much or too little or seem sleepy throughout the day
- Are spending more and more time alone and avoid social activities with friends or family
- Diet or exercise excessively, or fear gaining weight
- Engage in self-harm behaviors (such as cutting or burning their skin)
- Smoke, drink, or use drugs
- Engage in risky or destructive behaviors alone or with friends
- Have thoughts of suicide
- Have periods of highly elevated energy and activity and require much less sleep than usual
- Say that they think someone is trying to control their mind or that they hear things that other people cannot hear
Learn more about warning signs at www.nimh.nih.gov/children
Social Media and Mental Wellness
Social media can have both positive and negative impacts on the mental health of children and youth. While it offers opportunities for communication, connection, and self-expression, it also poses several dangers and implications for mental well-being. Here are some potential concerns:
- Cyberbullying: Children and youth may be exposed to cyberbullying, which involves the use of digital communication to harass, intimidate, or harm others. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in victims.
- Social Comparison: Social media often presents an idealized version of people's lives, leading to unrealistic standards and fostering a culture of comparison. This can result in feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and body image issues.
- Addiction and Screen Time: Excessive use of social media can contribute to screen addiction and increased screen time, which may interfere with sleep, physical activity, and face-to-face social interactions. Lack of physical activity and sleep can negatively impact mental health.
- Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Constant exposure to others' experiences and activities on social media can contribute to the fear of missing out. This may lead to anxiety and a sense of exclusion among children and youth.
- Online Predators: Children and youth may be vulnerable to online predators who exploit social media platforms to establish contact with them. This poses risks to their safety and well-being.
- Privacy Concerns: Sharing personal information online may compromise privacy and security. Children may not fully grasp the consequences of sharing sensitive information, making them susceptible to various risks.
- Exposure to Inappropriate Content: Children may encounter inappropriate or harmful content on social media, such as violence, explicit material, or self-harm content, which can negatively impact their mental health.
- Social Isolation: Paradoxically, excessive use of social media may contribute to social isolation as individuals spend more time online and less time engaging in face-to-face interactions.
- Validation Seeking: The pursuit of likes, comments, and followers on social media can create a need for external validation, impacting self-worth and leading to a dependence on social media for self-esteem.
To mitigate these dangers, it's crucial for parents, educators, and caregivers to educate children and youth about responsible social media use, monitor their online activities, and promote a healthy balance between online and offline activities. Additionally, fostering open communication about the potential risks and providing support for navigating the digital landscape is essential for safeguarding children and youth mental health in the age of social media.
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40% 8-12 Use social media |
95% 13-17 Use social media platform, with more than 1/3 saying they use social media "almost constantly" |
82.2% 13-17 Encountered nudity/sexual |
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83.3% 13-17 Experienced bullying as a bully, victim or witness |
46% 13-17 Say social media makes them feel worse about their body image |
43% 13-17 Engaged in conversations about depression and/or used language or were exposed to language about anxiety |
School Refusal / Anxiety
School Refusal
School refusal can take many forms. It can include behaviors like frequently struggling to arrive at school on time, leaving before the school day ends, or not attending school at all. Headaches, fatigue, stomachaches, and other physical symptoms of anxiety may make it hard to get off to school in the morning or make it feel necessary to leave early.
School avoidance usually provides the student with an escape from some distressing aspect of school, i.e., social anxiety, academic challenges, peer conflict. However, when a student continues to miss school, returning can feel harder and harder as she falls behind academically and starts to feel socially disconnected from classmates and teachers. Additionally, the child doesn’t get the chance to learn that it’s possible to handle school-related anxiety and cope with any challenges the school day brings. This can keep her stuck in a vicious cycle of school avoidance.
What can parents do to help stop the cycle of school refusal?
Step in quickly and identify the issue: Gently ask, “What is making school feel hard?” Is your child struggling socially or being bullied? Afraid of having a panic attack in the classroom? Worried about his academic performance or public speaking? Fearful of being separated from her parents for a full day?
Communicate and collaborate: Your child’s school is a key partner in combating school avoidance. Contact the school guidance counselor, psychologist, or social worker to share what you know about why your child is struggling to attend school. The more information the school has about why school avoidance is occurring, the better they will be able to help you.
Be firm about school: Be empathetic but firm that your child or teen must attend school. Generally, children should only stay home from school for fever (at least 100.4F), vomiting, or a few other medical reasons. It’s important for anxious children and teens to learn that they can persevere and do what they need to do even when experiencing physical anxiety, just as adults must in their own jobs.
Make staying at home boring or not worth it: Is there anything about the out-of-school environment that makes it extra tempting to stay home? Make home as school-like as possible. No unfettered access to screens of any kind and no sleeping or lounging in bed unless genuinely sick. Be clear that if your child or teen does not attend school, you will be collecting all screens and/or turning off data and home wifi. Then follow through! Ask the school to send work for your child to complete during the day.
School-Community Liaison
Mental Health Coordinators obtain and coordinate community resources to meet students' needs, as well as, help school districts receive adequate support from social and mental health agencies. Mental Health Coordinators advocate for new and improved community/school service to meet the needs of students and families which helps the system respond effectively to each child’s needs.
Free National Hotlines for Help
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 24/7 Treatment Referral National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- The Steve Fund (support for young people of color): Text “STEVE” to 741741
- Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860
- Lifeline Crisis Chat
- Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255; press 1
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
PIRC (Psychiatric Intake Response Center)
Navigating the mental health care system is challenging for patients, families, and providers. The Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), located in the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama, is a confidential psychiatric response center designed to assist patients, their loved ones and/or caregivers, and community providers in finding the appropriate level of mental health care. These services are provided via telephone or in person by licensed mental health clinicians trained to assess a child or teen’s mental, emotional, and behavioral needs and recommend the best treatment options.
SAMHSA's National Helpline
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is one of the most misunderstood crimes in our country and often the least obvious. That's why education is so important. It is the best defense against domestic violence - from identifying the signs, to understanding the cycle of abuse and the behavior of both the abuser and the victim. Only through understanding can we help families affected by domestic violence to fight back.
2nd Chance
Providing support and local services to victims and survivors of sexual/ domestic violence.
Here to listen, Here to Help
Your situation is difficult and you may be feeling a wide range of emotions. We’re here to help you sort them out and make a plan.
We’re here 24/7. There is always someone available to listen and offer confidential, non-directive and non-judgemental support.
We’re trained to help. Each team member is prepared to listen to your story, help you handle a crisis and guide you to solutions that will improve your situation.
Disaster Distress Helpline
SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Alabama Mental Health Resources for Families
Alabama Extension Services
Extension is working to provide Alabamians of all ages and economic background with practical, research-based knowledge and skills they need to make sounder choices – choices that, in turn, contribute to stronger, happier families.
Resources for developing a healthy lifestyle, including mental and emotional help
Alabama Mental Health Resources for Children
For crisis situations that are not life-threatening, find mental and behavioral health resources and other information below close to you.