Why School Wellness Matters
At SWELL, we think of Wellness as an act of pursuing the potential of the whole person. It isn’t a static state of good health, but rather a dynamic interplay of an individual’s empowered choices and attitudes, healthy and supportive relationships, available services and resources, and a social climate and systems that foster equity and inclusion. Wellness is the intentional design and maintenance of an entire system where youth thrive.
The SWELL model focuses on four primary areas that center wellness around the unique developmental experience of adolescence - physical health, mental health, substance (ab)use and sexual health.
The original high school Wellness Centers opened in 2001 in San Francisco Unified School District, nurtured by the vision of students, administrators and, at the time, Mayor Gavin Newsom, who funded the program as a partnership between the city, county, and school district in San Francisco. SWELL’s founder was a part of that initial laboratory for school wellness, and moved on to refine, adapt and evaluate the model in working with Tamalpais Union High School District and consulting with dozens of other schools and districts in CA and nationwide.
With SWELL, we now uplift the vision that every school can embed student wellness on their campus, and that every student has access to the tools, resources and support they need for healthy development and social emotional wellness. Here’s why ~
29% of teens feel tense or nervous about their day every or almost every day7 out of 10 teens say that anxiety and depression is a major issue for teens in their communityRisky health behaviors and academic achievement are linked. Students who take fewer health risks tend to do better in schoolChronic health issues are associated with high rates of school absenteeism29% of 12th graders consumed alcohol and 22% consumed marijuana in the past 30 daysThe number of teens who reported vaping the past 30 days doubled between 2017 and 2019.40% of high school students are sexually activeTeens who don’t use contraceptives for sexual intercourse may believe that they won’t get pregnant, may lack partner negotiation skills, or may be concerned about access and confidentiality
But we also know how we can help ~
Schools are the most common entry point for mental health services in the United StatesStudents who engage in school wellness initiatives feel better about themselves, do better in school, and increase attendanceStudents receiving school-based mental health services improve their grades more quickly than their peersWhen mental health services in schools are more available, depressive episodes and suicide risk decreases.The majority of students who participate in wellness services say that they can cope better when things go wrong, they are better able to manage stress, and they are more satisfied with their livesSchool health initiatives that include health education have a positive effect on academic achievement, including math and reading scoresComprehensive sexuality education reduces the risk of teen pregnancy and STIs