In a perfect world, parents and school staff come together to create a strong, supportive system for students. A system that detects the often subtle warning signs of mental illness, provides necessary supports and ultimately prevents any student from slipping through the cracks.

But as we know, this world is not perfect, and this infographic from NPR (“A Silent Epidemic”) shines a revealing light on the mental health challenges facing our students and our schools today. Ultimately, it all boils down to one overarching problem: There are too few resources and trained professionals to support the many students in need.

The Bainum Family Foundation is committed to better understanding these challenges and opportunities as part of our knowledge-building efforts. We are seeking to understand what approaches to school mental health are most effective and what types of investments and partnerships are needed to expand the use of these models. Based on the answers to these questions, we plan to partner with invited service providers to increase the availability of high-quality wrap-around supports for elementary school students in the District of Columbia’s Wards 7 and 8. Learn more about our commitment to wrap-around supports.