TACOMA, Wash. — According to the nation’s top doctor, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, we are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis.
In Pierce County, for example, that stern warning came as data indicated that more Pierce County students were committing crimes. For example: so far this year, more than 100 juvenile court cases were related to robbery alone. By comparison, in all 2022, there were 64 cases.
Additionally, in January of 2023, the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office handled 53 juvenile cases, which was a 56% increase from the same month in the previous year.
Are public schools able to meet the growing need for youth mental health support?
A Tacoma Public Schools spokesperson said they are putting a focus on supporting children's mental health this school year, despite limited funds.
"Low enrollment means less funding, which means it's harder for us to do all the things we need to do," said Tanisha Jumper, the chief communications officer at Tacoma Public Schools.
Because of this, they are being forced to get creative, thanks to a multi-year grant they applied for and received.
"That allowed us to do contracts with outside agencies to provide long-term care," said Jumper. She said a couple of those companies included Greater Lakes Mental Health and Bailey and Bailey Counseling.
Jumper said Tacoma Public Schools is bringing therapists directly to school campuses in some cases when an issue has been identified.
"So there's not that gap in care, of like, we sent home a referral, and then the parent had to go do 25 steps to get to it," said Jumper.
She said they recently did a group therapy session with students involved in violence on campus.
"The counselor can call the parents, 'I hear that there's an issue, we realized we were able to bring in this service.' They can get some of those services in school, or we can bring them to the thing," said Jumper.
Additionally, this summer, some Tacoma school facilities hosted a new program called Summer Late Nights for teens and pre-teens.
"Sometimes kids just need to know someone's watching," said Jumper. "A thousand kids actually showed up and had a safe summer."
She said they are calling that a success.
"[They] could have chosen to be anywhere. And they chose to come and show up at our schools and play basketball with their friends," said Jumper.
She said it is all part of their focus on creating spaces where kids can be safe. She said the program aimed to boost kids' mental health and well-being.