Mental health hub provides student support
The Student Support Center at the Winnetka and Northfield campuses open daily
Inside of the SSC are support materials to help students manage their mental health
At the beginning of the school year, the Student Support Center (SSC) was established to help students build skills to manage their mental health.
Social Work faculty Jennifer Tucker says the Student Support Center can be useful when a student is having a tough moment or day, and provides them with a safe and quiet space.
“For students who may need a little more guidance, there is trained staff available to teach them a skill that they can use in the moment, and of course, any time they are feeling overwhelmed or distressed,” said Tucker.
The center is located in room A409 on the Northfield campus. On the Winnetka campus, it was built as part of the third floor tower building renovation and is in room 311.
Over the past decade, the Social Work Department has discussed creating the center, with the idea being given final approval in Spring 2021. During this period, they were able to see how similar programs operated at other schools.
Tucker said, “The Social Work department has consulted with neighboring high schools and even visited Highland Park High School several times over the years to learn and observe how their version of the SSC functions and supports students.”
Junior Sofia Ali has visited the SSC on several occasions, after being introduced to it in class.
“I was introduced to the Student Support Center by IGSS (Integrated Global Studies School). They took a little bit of class time to tell us that this was a resource that we could use.”
Many students learn about the SSC from friends or trusted adults, such as teachers, advisers, and social workers. Along with interpersonal promotion, the Social Work Department has placed posters on walls and ads on TVs around both campuses. Each advisery at Northfield has received a presentation on the SSC.
Ali says the SSC has supported her when she struggles with mental health during the school day.
“If you don’t feel like you can be surrounded by other people or don’t feel ready to go to class, it’s just a quiet space.”
Inside of the SSC are materials to support students, including coloring sheets, a weighted blanket, and light therapy. Ali noted kinetic sand and essential oils as two that helped her. There is always a social worker available in the Center to teach a skill or provide solution-based support.
The SSC has also been working with the Student Council to help increase awareness and exchange suggestions on how to improve it.
“Student Council has been working primarily with advisers and teachers — through the grapevine — to make sure they are equipped to offer the SSC as a resource for students who are struggling. We have also created flyers and announcements, however, the Center doesn’t want too much PR, as this resource could be easily misused, so the Student Council has been working diligently to strike a healthy balance of informing students and staff whilst also not overwhelming the center,” said Student Council Secretary Keely Roberts.
As the SSC is a safe place for students who may be experiencing feelings of sadness and anxiety, Roberts says the Student Council aims to “make [the SSC] a welcoming environment conducive to peace and privacy,” so that the center would not be misused or unnecessarily overcrowded at any point in time.
Across both campuses, 89 students have visited the SSC at least once, with 93.4% reporting that they have found their time spent at the SSC helpful, according to a form students fill out when exiting the Center.
“We wanted to provide students with the message that taking care of their mental health is okay and something that we all need to be doing daily,” said Tucker. “By helping them develop skills early on, it is hoped that they can start to use these skills now and continue to develop them into adulthood.”