School Social Work Policy & News

As gun violence erupts on American streets and in schools, churches and homes, social workers are among the first responders and are still there, years later, supporting victims’ family members and communities.

Going back to school brings a whole new problem for some children — anxiety. “There are a variety of reasons that school-aged children might have anxiety when it comes to school,” said Stephanie Galloway-Maslanik, a licensed clinical social worker and Juniata Valley School District social worker. “For younger children, this anxiety might stem from being separated from their families and the comfort of being at home, especially after a long summer without school.”

As kids return to classrooms across the country, back-to-school stress is certainly on the minds of many students and parents alike. And while each age brings its unique set of challenges, there are two back-to-school stressors that experts see affecting a range of students.

"All of this is normal," says Jennifer Kelman, licensed clinical social worker and mental health expert with JustAnswer. "A lot of parents and kids, whatever the ages, feel that they are the only one that feels as if they are nervous, worried, anxious, reluctant — but I think if you go to most kids and most parents, everyone feels something with the return of school."

For some students, the beginning of the school year can be a time of uncertainty. “Whether they’re transitioning into a new school or different grade it’s kind of, what does this look like? Who are my teachers,” said Heidi Pritzl, a clinical social worker and psychotherapist at Aspirus Koller Behavioral Health.

Half of Chicagoans will witness a shooting before they turn 40. And the average age of a Chicago resident witnessing gun violence: 14. LaToya Winton, a student supports manager in Chicago, knows all too well that every shooting represents a person, a family, and a community devastated.

Estes added students and teachers were “traumatized” and that would take a while to subside, even with adequate resources. The chief operating officer at Coastal Horizons also pushed the importance of competitive pay. “We don’t have a workforce shortage,” Estes said. “We have a wage shortage, paying mental health [employees] disproportionate wages to what someone can do in private therapy. We’re never going to build out an infrastructure if the going rate for therapy is $150 on the private market and it’s $70 on our Medicaid system.”