Speakers Bureau Helps Generate Conversation

December 30, 2019

By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor

As student mental health climbs the list of health and safety concerns, the MHSAA and state associations across the country are taking measures to provide resources and guidance aimed to keep school sports an enjoyable and valuable experience.

In sports, coaches and athletes learn to expect the unexpected. It’s the nature of competition; constructing gameplans tailored to utilize team strengths and expose opponents’ weaknesses. Often times this entails doing things that opponents won’t expect. Participants then learn and prepare for the next time; it’s one of the ways athletics prepares participants for life, as educational leaders often preach.

Today’s ever-changing culture recently threw such a curveball at the young people who populate our hallways and playing surfaces, calling for statewide associations and organizations to shift focuses and prepare for a new opponent while attempting to keep school sports one of the best means to a healthy adolescent lifestyle. 

“I was at the NCAA summer meeting in 2017, discussing health and safety issues and the topic of concussions came up, as it often does. I assumed that concussions was the No. 1 health and safety issue,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl. “I was quickly corrected that it’s student mental health; that knocked me back.”

It would not be an uncommon reaction, given the amount of information, media coverage and programs designed to recognize and reduce concussion incidents in recent years.

All the while, anxiety, depression and stress had been creeping into the picture beneath the surface. Such disorders are much more difficult to detect, as there are few visible symptoms when compared to sprains, fatigue, head injuries and other physical ailments.

“I became interested and began to research the topic. The more I read, the more concerned I became,” Uyl said. “The MHSAA, with a great deal of help and cooperation from our school leaders, has done a tremendous job educating and providing resources for health-related issues such as heat management, concussion reporting and practice policies, and now we have a new challenge.”

Fortunately, as has often been the case, there are knowledgeable and qualified people throughout Michigan’s roster of educational leaders who are willing to assist.

As word spread regarding the student mental health initiative, the MHSAA was able to establish a Mental Health Speakers Bureau composed of several experienced individuals willing to assist (see below).

“Our speakers bureau really grew by word of mouth,” Uyl said. “A school would bring in a speaker, or a league would invite a speaker, and once we were connected with them, then those people would share names and it grew from there.”

The resources range from former professional athletes, to behavioral specialists, to current MHSAA coaches.

Dave Ingles, basketball coach at Kent City, is one such individual. His credibility comes from first-hand experience.

“I privately struggled with deep depression for six years,” Ingles said. “Be alert. Talk to your athletes and students and actually listen to what they are saying. I always used the phrase, ‘I’m fine;’ that is not an acceptable answer to me anymore when I hear it.”

The National Institute of Mental Health reveals that most mental health conditions begin around the time children are transitioning from middle school to high school. The more people trained to identify symptoms and behavior, the better the chance to reduce or reverse some of the following numbers:

• 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14

• 37% of students with a mental health condition age 14 or older drop out of school

• 20% of students ages 13-18 live with a mental health condition

• 11% of youth have a mood disorder and 8% have an anxiety disorder

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 10-24

Non-visible ailments always have been most difficult to detect, and today’s proliferation of technology – from streaming to social media – can serve to further mask symptoms.

“The more kids spend time with their devices, staring at their screens, isolation can be quick to take hold,” Uyl said. “Everything is instant. It used to be if our friends didn’t invite us somewhere, we didn’t worry about it; we probably wouldn’t find out for a couple days and had already moved on. Today, in about 10 minutes,  there’s a picture on Instagram or Snapchat and kids instantly know, ‘I’m not included.’ Isolation leads to depression and anxiety, and in the worst cases can even lead to suicide.”

That message might sound familiar. Segments of the 2019-20 MHSAA online rules meetings include Uyl emphasizing student mental health and a video clip produced by benice.org promoting a mental health action plan endorsed by four of the state’s most recognized collegiate coaches. 

It’s all part of the plan to promote awareness and generate conversation surrounding this serious health and safety issue during 2019-20 and beyond.

“We’re not going to try to do this all by ourselves,” Uyl said. “There are plenty of experts in the field, and we’re going to utilize their knowledge. We’ll build relationships and align ourselves with these people to provide a foundation. We need to become a resource center for our membership.”

In addition to the rules meetings messages, the MHSAA also partnered with the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals Student Mental Health Summit on Oct. 8 in Lansing. This event – sold out within weeks of posting – invited principals, counselors, student leadership advisers and student leaders to come together to discuss and seek solutions for student mental health concerns impacting schools. The MHSAA lined up Eric Hipple, one of its speaker bureau members, who delivered a keynote, “Depression and Suicidal Awareness.”

Student mental health was among topics during the MHSAA Update and AD In-Service tour around the state this fall as well. The meeting at Comstock Park on Sept. 30 included a presentation from the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan to introduce the be nice® action plan and encourage schools to take advantage of that and other resources the group has to offer.

The rise of mental health as one of the more prominent medical concerns nationally has occurred, as Ingles sees it, “because more people are talking about it now.”

Leaders like Ingles and those in numerous organizations have begun to assist the MHSAA in identifying and treating cases in our schools.

MHSAA Mental Health Speakers Bureau

Below is a list of individuals and organizations partnering with the MHSAA to assist in promoting mental well-being for students around the state. The MHSAA encourages school personnel to reach out to any of these experienced leaders in the field for programming in your buildings and districts.

• Christy Buck, Executive Director – Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan - be nice.® [email protected]

• Brooke Buys, Mental & Behavioral Health Specialist – BLND Health [email protected] 

• Eric Hipple, former Detroit Lions quarterback [email protected]

• Dave Ingles, Basketball Coach & Speaker – Kent City High School [email protected]

• Cat Lanting, Program Coordinator – Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan - be nice.® [email protected]

• Halle Wangler, former University of Michigan basketball player [email protected]

PHOTO: Brooke Buys, a mental and behavioral health specialist and founder of BLND Health, speaks with students. (Photo courtesy of BLND Health.)

More States Begin Mental Health Efforts

January 2, 2020

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series on NFHS News addressing the challenges of mental health issues in high school athletics. This article explores one statewide approach to this important subject.

Suicide is a serious public health problem. It is the second-leading cause of death of high school-aged individuals in the United States. (National Vital Statistics Report 2016 Data Published by the CDC July 2018)

In Oregon, the suicide rate is higher than the national average, and a recent survey of 11th-graders found that within the past year, 18 percent seriously considered suicide and 7 percent attempted suicide. (Youth Suicide Annual Report 2017 & Oregon Healthy Teens Survey 2017)

More concerning is the fact that the rate of completed suicides in youth has been increasing since 2011. Not only does suicide lead to a life lost much too early, it leaves a devastating impact on those left behind.

Fortunately, suicides are preventable. The Oregon Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan was created calling for “Zero Suicide ... through collective action among health and behavioral health systems, schools, communities, parents and other systems that touch the lives of youth.” (Youth Suicide Annual Report 2017) For numerous reasons, schools are being used as the primary means of dissemination and implementation of suicide prevention interventions.

One group of school personnel that had not been traditionally considered in school-based efforts are school activities personnel: coaches, athletic trainers and athletic administrators. These individuals spend a great deal of time with students, developing relationships that may go beyond what a student typically has with a teacher.

Coaches, athletic trainers and athletic administrators are in the ideal position to recognize behavioral warning signs or be the point person for students to go to if they have concerns about a peer. This is vital as youth considering suicide often talk about suicide and exhibit behaviors and/or moods associated with increased suicide risk. Additionally, activities personnel are school leaders who are often known and trusted by parents, thus creating more opportunities for dialogue on suicide prevention.

Realizing the impact youth suicide has on school communities and the prevention opportunities that exist, the leadership of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association, the Oregon Athletic Directors Association and the Oregon Athletic Trainers’ Society partnered to promote the role of high school activities personnel in preventing youth suicide. While these groups had multiple means of reaching out to the intended audience, the leadership realized help was needed from experts for a statewide education campaign to be successful. The Suicide Intervention Coordinator for the Oregon Health Authority (the state agency charged with overseeing Oregon’s health-related programs) was contacted and agreed to assist in developing a statewide educational campaign geared to activities personnel.

The Campaign

It was determined that a series of articles geared specifically to activities personnel would be written by the Oregon Health Authority and then disseminated by the OSAA throughout the academic year.

The articles typically contained two pages of practical information and tips. The campaign was not designed to replace a formal suicide gatekeeper training; rather, it served to promote awareness of the role activities personnel play in countering the rising problem. The articles and additional resources were also posted to the OSAA website.

The OSAA Foundation provided funding for a poster that was provided to schools to be placed in locker rooms, team rooms, athletic training rooms and other areas where students congregate. The primary goal of the poster was to provide students with contact information for crisis lines.

Toward the end of the campaign, workshops were presented by a representative from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at the Oregon Athletic Directors Association’s annual statewide conference. The goal was to provide information on programs and policies that athletic administrators could implement at their schools.

While the campaign only spanned the 2017-18 academic year, the leadership of the stakeholder groups believed there was still more that could be done. In 2018-19, a campaign on anti-hazing and anti-bullying (which is a risk factor for suicide) was implemented using a similar approach as the suicide prevention campaign.

In addition, the groups coordinated a high school coaches’ symposium that included breakout sessions on suicide prevention, hazing prevention and character education.

Lessons Learned

Individuals who work with students involved with high school activity programs realize the power and opportunities which exist for positive character development. The focus of this campaign was to highlight a significant and growing public health problem – youth suicide. The goal of the campaign was to increase awareness and provide appropriate resources – not to create experts in suicide prevention.

The collaborative nature of this campaign strengthened the relationships between the different groups working together with a specific purpose. The groups have now partnered on several additional campaigns – the aforementioned anti-hazing/anti-bullying campaign and promoting the development of Emergency Action Plans.

The campaign also allowed the groups to work closely with state public health officials. While the OSAA had previously partnered with state public health officials regarding air quality policies and a guidance document for medical providers on pre-participation physical exams, this campaign provided several new and distinct advantages.

State public health officials were able to see the positive impact of participation in high school activity programs beyond just the activity itself – namely the positive mentorship relationships that may develop. They were also impressed by the large audience the campaign reached and the feedback provided (due to the expansive network of activities administrators, coaches and athletic trainers that the OSAA reaches). Ideally, this will spur additional collaborations in the future.

A major challenge for schools and school personnel is the competing demands for time and resources for the many worthy interventions and activities. Unfortunately, it is impossible to commit to all interventions and activities that may benefit students. While there was a monetary cost for the posters to be distributed to schools, development of the actual campaign articles and presentations were done by individuals as part of their job related to suicide prevention, so the campaign was relatively inexpensive. Since it was distributed throughout the year, it did not require a large time commitment from activities personnel and the monthly articles kept the issue front and center.

Conclusion

The statewide Youth Suicide Awareness Campaign is just one example of how the unique role of school activities personnel can be leveraged and how stakeholder organizations and state public health agencies can maximize their impact and reach through collaboration. While we will continue to review suicide incidence in Oregon during the coming years, the campaign is seen as a success at this point. It has strengthened relationships between the involved entities, and it promoted the role of coaches, athletic trainers and athletic administrators as mentors and trusted individuals to make an impact that extends beyond wins and losses. 

— Sam Johnson, Rob Younger, Peter Weber, NFHS News, March 12, 2019

Colorado Institutes Mental Health Requirement

In a major step aimed at improving mental health of students across Colorado high schools, the CHSAA Board of Directors approved as a requirement that all coaches take a course on student mental health.

It is among the major topics facing high school students today. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 31 percent of high school students reported symptoms of depression in 2017, and 17 percent reported they seriously considered attempting suicide.

So, starting this fall, all coaches must take a course “Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention” on the NFHS Learning Center, or a district-led mental health training. The NFHS Learn course is free.

In order to be a registered coach, this requirement must be satisfied. Unregistered coaches are not permitted to coach, per CHSAA bylaws. Other required courses or training are based around concussion, first aid, mandatory reporting, and the CHSAA coaches course.

“CHSAA’s vision is to deconstruct the stereotypes around mental health and help start the conversations that need to happen around our kids,” said CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green. “The mental and physical well-being of our student participants is our priority.”

The decision was made with the full support of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC), which discussed the topic at length during its meeting last school year.

“The committee was focused on finding great tools that we can give to our schools and coaches to help provide awareness around mental health, which is among the most important issues our students face,” said Jenn Roberts-Uhlig, the CHSAA staff liaison to SMAC. “We believe it is important for coaches to not be afraid to look for the signs and symptoms of a student who is struggling with their mental health, and this training will provide valuable instruction in how to do that.”

— Ryan Casey/CHSAA, June 27, 2019