What mental health resources are available to Merced students? Here’s what to know

As Merced County students return to school this month, they will bring their backpacks, notebooks and pencils. Some will also bring invisible burdens including anxiety, depression, loneliness and other mental and emotional challenges.

A 2023 CDC report found 40% of students nationwide had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 20% considered suicide, and 9% have attempted suicide.

“They’re navigating this development of being a teenager and growing up in the world that might be very confusing for them,” Patricia Orozco, Senior Behavioral Health Manager for the Merced County Office of Education, said.

With mental health trials taking their toll on students, what are some of the warning signs parents should watch for? And what resources are available at school districts in Merced County for students struggling with their mental and emotional health?

Recognizing the Warning Signs

Research shows that 50% of children will experience a mental health condition by the time they’re 13, and only 14.9% will seek treatment, Orozco told the Merced Sun-Star.

“I think that stigma has been one of the biggest challenges,” she said. “...So, I think the more we normalize it, the more we bring awareness then hopefully we can start normalizing and speaking up about mental health.”

With the data painting a clear picture of prevalence and lack of medical follow-up, it becomes increasingly important for parents and caregivers to know the warning signs.

“I think parents really are probably the best individuals to pick up on a change since they see their children on a daily basis,” UC Merced’s Assistant Vice Chancellor of Health and Well-Being and Executive Director of Health Services Dr. Amy Sekhon Atwal said.

“So, they would start to notice a change in their demeanor, perhaps in their ability to regulate their emotions,” she said.

According to Sekhon Atwal, warning signs that a child is struggling emotionally or mentally can include: withdrawing from family, friends and social activities, hopelessness, changes in demeanor, inability to regulate emotions, loss of or expressing a lack of motivation.

“But sometimes people suffer in silence, and so I think that noticing any changes in their child’s demeanor should prompt conversation to check in and see how they’re doing,” Sekhon Atwal said.

Another warning sign could be declining grades and poor academic performance as mental health issues compound life’s challenges. Sekhon Atwal says the impact to performance can be significant.

“It’s going to be difficult to complete your assignments, whether in the classroom or at home,” Sekhon Atwal said. “It will be challenging to develop relationships with your teachers or instructors, your peers, which will then also make it likely that the individual feels even more anxious or depressed.”

Getting Help

According to Orozco, 15 of 21 school districts in Merced County participate in California’s $4.7 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Initiative. The initiative provides reimbursements for counseling and other mental health resources at school sites.

Through this program, a child can receive mental and emotional health support at their school site or even at their home. The six non-participating school districts will use their own counselors or resources rather than referring students to Merced County Office of Education. Parents and students in these districts should start by contacting their school counselor or front office to ask about available services.

To access the resources, it’s as simple as a parent or student approaching their school’s officials regarding the issue within the 15 participating school districts.

“You will get a call from a counselor. From there, they will follow their set of questions that is really for them to determine what level of care is warranted,” Orozco said.

After initial contact from a school counselor, a level of care assessment and safety check will be performed by the counselor. If the student isn’t in crisis and actively suicidal, the counselor will begin the process of mobilizing resources toward the struggling student.

Those resources could be connecting the student with a mentor, a therapist or clinician with Merced County Office of Education. Other services a student could receive can include regular meetings with a therapist or counselor, group sessions, skill-building, case management, family counseling and even prevention workshops, according to Orozco.

“This last school year, a student that was a second grader that was having some issues with behaviors and now was able to be in support, now they’re able to turn that around and feel more confident,” Orozco said. “Feel like they enjoy school.”