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Wild, Wonderful & Healthy WV

Students Who Face School Punishment Run Risk of Mental Health Problems

It’s estimated that roughly 51.5 million Americans’ lives are disrupted each year from mental health disorders. These conditions put a significant threat to one’s quality of life, physical well-being, interpersonal relationships, and life.

Because of the significant and staggering number of folks battling with a mental illness, the month of October is nationally recognized as Depression and Mental Health Awareness Month –an annual initiative to raise awareness and erase the stigma attached to mental illness.

While mental illness doesn’t discriminate against age, race, gender, social class and so on, there is a distinct intersection between folks living in poverty, people of color, people within the LGBTQ community, and youth who have a troubled home/school life.

In this blog, we’ll primarily focus on the overlap of mental illness and school suspension and how academic success can be faltered due to strict school punishment. Though one layer is being discussed, it’s important to understand these factors intertwine with one another.

We know that students who struggle with mental illness (depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc.) can suffer from negative outcomes like the inability to concentrate in class and create friends, poor grades, low self esteem, suspension, and in extreme cases suicide. These effects can certainly carry over into adulthood and can lead to more challenges, roadblocks and life-changing situations.

 

Oftentimes, students who are showing “poor” or “bad” behavior are met with punishment rather than compassion or an understanding from teachers and school administration. According to federal data, black students or students who fall within the poverty line, receive punishment more often and sometimes more severe than their white peers. These disciplinary actions can lead to worsening a student’s already poor mental health, especially if suspension or expulsion is assigned.

How do we move forward in ensuring that students have the potential to reach full academic success, support for mental health and a solid foundation for life after high school?

Aside from quality education, compassion, understanding, and a commitment to students’ safety (physically, mentally and emotionally) need to be at the forefront of our school systems’ agendas.

The first step for teachers and administration is to recognize the signs of a student struggling with mental health problems. Rather than going straight for penalizing a student, perhaps, a discussion and background check could go a long way. This change within the schools could lead to more support training within the school system and/or having an on-site counselor readily available for students seeking support.

Outside of school, students need to be given the opportunity to leave the schoolhouse and have the option to congregate in a safe space. While a child’s home should be the ultimate safe space, we know that to not always be true.

That’s why Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Charleston West Side is taking the initiative to support Kanawha County’s youth through its community center. The recently opened community center was created as a safe space open to students to practice sports, games and do homework.

« Return to WWH WestSide WV

A Program of:
The Center for Rural Health Development
75 Chase Drive
Hurricane, WV 25526
(304) 397-4071
Email Program Manager

 

It’s estimated that roughly 51.5 million Americans’ lives are disrupted each year from mental health disorders. These conditions put a significant threat to one’s quality of life, physical well-being, interpersonal relationships, and life.

Because of the significant and staggering number of folks battling with a mental illness, the month of October is nationally recognized as Depression and Mental Health Awareness Month –an annual initiative to raise awareness and erase the stigma attached to mental illness.

While mental illness doesn’t discriminate against age, race, gender, social class and so on, there is a distinct intersection between folks living in poverty, people of color, people within the LGBTQ community, and youth who have a troubled home/school life.

In this blog, we’ll primarily focus on the overlap of mental illness and school suspension and how academic success can be faltered due to strict school punishment. Though one layer is being discussed, it’s important to understand these factors intertwine with one another.

We know that students who struggle with mental illness (depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc.) can suffer from negative outcomes like the inability to concentrate in class and create friends, poor grades, low self esteem, suspension, and in extreme cases suicide. These effects can certainly carry over into adulthood and can lead to more challenges, roadblocks and life-changing situations.

 

Oftentimes, students who are showing “poor” or “bad” behavior are met with punishment rather than compassion or an understanding from teachers and school administration. According to federal data, black students or students who fall within the poverty line, receive punishment more often and sometimes more severe than their white peers. These disciplinary actions can lead to worsening a student’s already poor mental health, especially if suspension or expulsion is assigned.

How do we move forward in ensuring that students have the potential to reach full academic success, support for mental health and a solid foundation for life after high school?

Aside from quality education, compassion, understanding, and a commitment to students’ safety (physically, mentally and emotionally) need to be at the forefront of our school systems’ agendas.

The first step for teachers and administration is to recognize the signs of a student struggling with mental health problems. Rather than going straight for penalizing a student, perhaps, a discussion and background check could go a long way. This change within the schools could lead to more support training within the school system and/or having an on-site counselor readily available for students seeking support.

Outside of school, students need to be given the opportunity to leave the schoolhouse and have the option to congregate in a safe space. While a child’s home should be the ultimate safe space, we know that to not always be true.

That’s why Wild, Wonderful and Healthy Charleston West Side is taking the initiative to support Kanawha County’s youth through its community center. The recently opened community center was created as a safe space open to students to practice sports, games and do homework.

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Welcome to Wild, Wonderful & Healthy Smithers and Montgomery

What is Wild, Wonderful & Healthy WV?

No matter what your respective role is—to mitigate the opioid crisis, to ensure our children are ready for school and adults are ready to work, or to support economic growth—it all begins with healthy West Virginians.. Alone, no one person will have all the answers, but the direction we must go is clear, and together we can achieve our vision of a healthy West Virginia. Click here to learn more about the Wild, Wonderful & Healthy WV program as a whole.

 

Smithers and Montgomery Vision

Our Vision for Smithers and Montgomery is to build active and healthy communities that strengthen our economy.

 

CORE Support Team

A small group of individuals from the partner organizations are responsible for organizing the community health planning process and moving it forward. The current CORE Support Team consists of the following members:

  • Anne Cavalier, Mayor of Smithers
  • Greg Ingram, Mayor of Montgomery
  • Noel Mitchell - WVU Extension, Fayette County
  • James Bennett, Fayette County Health Department
  • Orlando Craighead - Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement
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Smithers and Montgomery Community Calendar:

January 2025

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
  • Story Hour - Ages 3 to 6
2
  • Lego/Knex
  • Spin Class
  • Book Club - Montgomery Public Library
  • Open Art Studio - Gallery on 4'th
3
  • Adult Coloring
4
5
6
  • 1 on 1 Computer Help - by appointment only
  • Smithers Building Commission meeting
7
  • Chair Yoga
  • Finance Review - City of Montgomery
  • Court Hearings - City of Montgomery
8
  • Story Hour - Ages 3 to 6
9
  • Lego/Knex
  • Spin Class
  • Upper Kanawha Valley Strategic Initiative Council Meeting
10
  • Adult Coloring
11
12
13
  • 1 on 1 Computer Help - by appointment only
  • Smithers Fire Department Board of Directors meeting
  • Smithers City Council meeting
14
  • Chair Yoga
  • Smithers Sanitary Board meeting
  • Montgomery City Council meeting
15
  • Story Hour - Ages 3 to 6
  • City Beautification Strategic meeting
16
  • Lego/Knex
  • Spin Class
17
  • Adult Coloring
18
19
20
  • 1 on 1 Computer Help - by appointment only
21
  • Chair Yoga
22
  • Story Hour - Ages 3 to 6
23
  • Lego/Knex
  • Spin Class
24
  • Adult Coloring
25
26
27
  • 1 on 1 Computer Help - by appointment only
28
  • Chair Yoga
  • Park Board meeting
29
  • Story Hour - Ages 3 to 6
30
  • Lego/Knex
  • Spin Class
31
  • Adult Coloring
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Smithers and Montgomery Insights:

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What is Wild, Wonderful & Healthy WV?

No matter what your respective role is – to mitigate the opioid crisis, to ensure our children are ready for school and adults are ready to work, or to support economic growth – it all begins with healthy West Virginians. No one of us alone will have all the answers, but the direction we must go is clear, and together we can achieve our vision of a healthy West Virginia. Click here to learn more about the Wild, Wonderful & Healthy WV program as a whole.

Summers County's Vision

Wild, Wonderful & Healthy Summers County is an organization working hard in our community to support safe and affordable housing, strengthen our recreational opportunities, and support the economic development of our local small businesses.

Priority Focuses

Inadequate Housing.
Small Business Development.
Recreational Opportunities for Youth.
Community Green Spaces.

While Summers County has a myriad of health issues on which we could focus our work, over the next year the Community Health Improvement (CHI) Committee will focus on a lack of safe and affordable housing for low and moderate-income residents. The lack of safe and affordable housing in the county and city of Hinton and the abandoned and dilapidated structures have a detrimental effect on property values, public safety and health, fire safety, and economic development.

To accomplish this goal, we have defined three measurable objectives that will guide our work and be completed by June 30, 2023: 

Objective #1: Increase the number of safe, affordable, and well-managed houses for low and moderate-income renters by 30 properties. 

Objective #2: Improve community safety and the environment by demolishing 15 blighted buildings.

Objective #3: Ensure that city code and county ordinances promote and sustain safe, affordable, and well-managed housing. 

Read more in-depth about our priority issues and our objectives here.

Accomplishments

Despite delays resulting from the impact of the COVID pandemic, we were able to accomplish
the following:
• Identified over 45 properties for demolition as of October 2020
• Over 65 dilapidated properties demolished as of December 2024
• Identified vacant property for construction of green space that City of Hinton has
purchased. Worked with WVU Extension’s Community Engagement Lab to develop plan
for the space. Raised $43,000 to construct green space.
• Team members selected to serve on the county’s Dilapidated Buildings Committee.
• At the request of the Hinton City Council, agreed to repurpose a small vacant lot as a
green space; which opened in December 2022.
• City has hired a code enforcer to ensure that properties in Hinton are maintained at the
standards required by city ordinances.
• City has contracted to create a list of available rental housing.
• City is addressing housing issue, including absent property owners, in their 5-year plan.

We have much more planned - so stay tuned!

CORE Support Team

A small group of individuals from the partner organizations are responsible for organizing the community health planning process and moving it forward. The current CORE Support Team consists of the following members:

 

  • Patti Crawford - Retired, WV School of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Janima Bond - Burke & Herebert Bank
  • Kristal Straub, FMRS Health Systems
  • Mike Yancey - REACHH-Family Resource Center/Child Advocacy Center
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