Transitions to adulthood: Supporting teens with mental health issues

Transitions to adulthood: Supporting teens with mental health issues

Author: Ethical Schools August 26, 2021 Duration: 37:32

We speak with Dr. Marsha Ellison and Evelyn Frankford about assisting students with serious mental health challenges make transitions from high school. These students often don’t receive the supports they want and need, especially finding work or navigating college disability accommodations. Long-term relationships with a knowledgeable adult and positive youth development strategies can make a difference—but require commitments of time and money.  

Overview

00:00-00:52 Intros

00:52-02:45 Numbers of students with serious mental health conditions

02:45-06:47 Schools’ capacity to recognize and serve students with serious mental health conditions

06:47-09:47 Responding to students’ needs and motivations—a positive youth development model

09:47-14:54 Strategies; intensity of relationship building; problems with the Medicaid model

14:54-15:40 Looking at the whole context of where the youth is coming from

15:40-18:23 Transitions from high school—counselors’ limitations; supporting and improving counselors’ capacity

18:23-27:02 Special ed reforms to support successful transitions

27:02-29:55 Moving from punitive to supportive approaches to behavioral issues

29:55-32:22 Participatory action research

32:22-35:08 Ethical issues in psychiatry’s (and social work’s) history and practice

Transcription

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

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Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
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