The ABC Science Collaborative and the North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line (NC-PAL) are sharing a new resource that clarifies common misunderstandings about students experiencing anxiety and school avoidance. It also includes strategies to help educators support students.
The resource summarizes information from a virtual session for educators on the topic of anxiety and school avoidance in students, and how teachers and school staff can support them in overcoming and coping with anxiety. The session was led by Dr. Andrea Diaz Stransky, an NC-PAL clinician, who provides psychiatric consultation and helps develop educational materials for pediatric providers across the state. She leads the NC-PAL School Consultation team that has provided group case-consultation to more than 100 school teams.
Dr. Diaz Stransky shared facts about anxiety in children and key strategies to help them cope with it. She also shared advice for teachers to partner with students’ families and care teams to create an anxiety action plan and/or a plan for returning to school normally. Read a summary of key takeaways, best practices, common pitfalls, and access resources, including an anxiety action plan worksheet and school avoidance tip sheets for teachers, parents, and pediatricians.
The March session, hosted by The ABC Science Collaborative and NC-PAL, is the first in a series of virtual mental health focused meetings for leaders and staff of North Carolina schools.
“The facts and resources shared at the ABC Science Collaborative and NC-PAL Child and Adolescent Mental Health Miniseries can help guide school staff as they navigate students’ mental health and work with their families and care teams,” said Dr. Diaz Stransky.
The ABC Science Collaborative works with school leadership and community partners to identify needs and solutions within North Carolina schools. One need that schools have identified in recent years is mental health support for students. To answer questions, provide information, and share strategies for navigating mental health in schools, The ABC Science Collaborative partnered with NC-PAL to present the Adolescent Mental Health Miniseries, made up of three virtual meetings, each on a specific topic related to student mental health. The meetings are taking place in Spring 2024. The specific topics are:
- Anxiety and school avoidance
- Depression and grief
- Aggression
At each meeting Dr. Diaz Stransky and her team share key facts, resources, and scenarios. As meeting summaries and resources become available, they will be shared on The ABC Science Collaborative Reports and Summaries webpage.