ADDRESSING THE CHILDREN:
Mental Health Needs in NOLA Schools

For the children of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina, mental health care remains a critical unmet need. Medical reports indicate continuing increases in rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder among the thousands of school-age children in the city. With the hospital system in disarray and community health centers overwhelmed, school-based services may be the most viable and pragmatic source of mental health care.

However, when Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in August of 2006, it crippled an already fragile education system. Of the 126 public schools in the area, fewer than 20 emerged from the storm in a usable condition. In the months following the storm, Operation USA swiftly partnered with local agencies and health centers to fund outreach mental health providers for the thousands of displaced children living in trailer camps.

Now, over 20 months since the storm hit, 50 schools are scheduled to open their doors for the upcoming school year. Many of these are charter schools – publicly financed but independently run – driven on the belief that, rather than use a traditional “one-size fits all” approach to education, school curricula instead should accommodate the ways that children learn and consider the factors impacting their success. No factor is more important than mental health.

Recognizing the pressing need for children’s mental health services and the rising importance of the charter school movement, Operation USA will stay true to our commitment to the region and support comprehensive student support programs in New Orleans-based charter schools. We will again partner with local agencies, combining our expertise with their front-line experience.

By expanding our involvement, Operation USA aims to address the acute mental health issues facing students and to use a novel approach towards healing the children of New Orleans. The challenges faced by those in the Gulf Coast region are daunting, yet our resolve remains firm.

05/2007