June 6, 2022 by Natalie Cochran
Recent School Shootings are Sparking Troubles in Mental Health: Health Benefits are Available
The rise in recent school shootings
Mass school shootings are a traumatic event that can potentially trigger mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people who were directly impacted by a violent threat such as a school shooting. Studies show that adolescent trauma has more lifelong effects on young people with developing brains. This causes them to struggle coping with stress, anxiety and depression.
Whether the school shooting is mass or small, it still can impact people far beyond those that were directly involved including parents of the students and teachers. School shootings today are causing severe distress and have profound effects on academic achievement and social and emotional growth.
Mental health challenges as a result of the pandemic
In general, health professionals have witnessed soaring rates of mental health challenges among children, adolescents, and their families over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. This school shooting crisis is an ongoing struggle and affecting our youth’s mental health. The pandemic has intensified this crisis in which the United States have seen dramatic increases in Emergency Department visits for all mental health emergencies including suspected suicide attempts.
People are caring for young people with soaring rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts that will have lasting impacts on them, their families, and their communities. Together we must identify strategies, implement innovation and action, using state, local and national approaches to improve the access to and quality of care across the board for mental health prevention and treatment.
Benefit programs covering mental health
Texas Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offer parents peace of mind knowing their children can get the routine preventative care they need, when they need it, that keeps them healthy. These programs have been able to secure medical coverage benefits for more than 45 million children.
Texas Medicaid and CHIP are two programs our Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) can help your child obtain. Our staff will guide you throughout the entire legal process. Your child can receive or renew their benefits with the help of our paralegals and attorneys who will act as a representative on your behalf.
Resources
COVID-19 mental health and social-emotional well-being resources for children and families
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
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If you or a loved one are a victim of fraud and need assistance, you can apply for free legal services by calling 1-800-733-8394 or by visiting our website at www.lonestarlegal.org. For more resources, visit the Texas Crime Victim Legal Assistance Network.
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves the millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well‐being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those who have disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
