West Virginia Department of Education

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is offering resources to families, educators, caregivers and others to support student mental health. [ParentGuidance.org](https://parentguidance.org/), a 24/7 online platform, assists those who care for children to address and elevate mental health wellness and self-care. These tools are designed by the national nonprofit [The Cook Center for Human Connection](https://cookcenter.org/) to enhance the human connections vital for school communities to thrive. **Why is this important?** - In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency, noting that child and adolescent healthcare professionals are “caring for young people with soaring rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality that will have lasting impacts on them, their families, and their communities.” - More than [700,000 people](https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/StateFactSheets/WestVirginiaStateFactSheet.pdf) in the West Virginia live in communities that do not have enough mental health professionals. - Educators report increases in behavior challenges and classroom disruptions since the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted in-person instruction and impacted schools, communities and homes over the course of several years