Upstate school district provides mental health resources to students, families

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - An Upstate school district is making sure vital resources are available for students and their families.

According to counselors in Spartanburg School District Six, since the Covid-19 pandemic the number of students struggling with mental health has grown tremendously.

School officials say they are seeing a spike in mental health diagnosis among young children, resulting in making resources more accessible for students by putting them in schools.

“Mental health has always been a concern but I think over the last 4 or 5 years we’ve seen a significant growth,” said Alan Eggert, assistant superintendent of special services. “I think when you look at the pandemic and what it taught us was in order to be safe was to isolate and be non-social. And that caused a lot of depression and anxiety.”

Students are now re-engaging, socializing and learning to cope with everyday stresses and school officials are increasing student support.

“About 4,5 years ago we reached out to local agencies, Spartanburg mental health and Regenasis health care and they have provided 14 counselors in our school buildings,” said Eggert.

In addition to those 14 counselors, there are about 48 school counselors, psychologists and clinical counselors in schools across the district breaking down to one professional per 200 students.

“We try to work around students schedules so that they’re not missing language arts or math, electives, we kinda get the students input on when its a good time to meet with their counselor,” said Eggert.

Parents can also reach out to the school if they have any questions or see a change in their child’s demeanor-emotional or physical.

He said in sessions students work on social and emotional learning as well as finding ways to cope with depression, anxiety and stress.

“We try and teach students self awareness, social awareness, self management, good decision making and how to be a good member of society within the classroom. All of those may need to be learned or relearned,” said Eggert.

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