An Interview with LearnWell’s CEO Collin Earnst: How Remote Learning Tech Can Cure Today’s Mental Health Crisis

Earlier this month, LearnWell CEO Collin Earnst sat down with Kevin Hogan on the Remote Possibilities podcast to discuss the challenges schools are facing when it comes to supporting students’ emerging mental health needs.

Schools are experiencing a number of challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but few of these issues can be addressed without first finding ways to support the mental health needs of students, faculty, and families. Between trauma, pandemic-related anxiety and stress, domestic abuse, and the impact of racial inequity, COVID-19 is believed to have a significant impact on mental health for not only students, but also their families and educators.

However, schools and mental health providers are experiencing challenges with meeting an increase in emerging mental health needs. With limited resources, educators and mental health professionals often direct their support at the students who show the greatest need, which can present challenges to identify the emerging mental health needs of other students. Nearly 60% of students who experience depression and 80% of students who experience anxiety go untreated during their K-12 years. Early identification of needs can help to prevent crisis situations, which is why LearnWell offers support services for schools to address students’ emerging mental health needs.

LearnWell’s Counseling services provide additional support to school psychologists, guidance counselors, and school social workers in order to reach further into the school population to identify students in need of emerging mental health support. In a recent LearnWell survey of district-level educators, students’ mental health needs were the second-most significant concern going into the 2020-21 school year––second only to COVID-19-related health and safety concerns. As educators and schools identify students in need, LearnWell is able to provide counseling and academic services for students with mental health needs care throughout the continuum of care.

There are still steps to be taken to destigmatize mental health care––despite the need being so extensive and the benefits being so clear. Creating more accessible pathways to mental health care through LearnWell’s continuum of care services and educating ourselves and our communities about the need for mental health support is an important step toward helping students, educators, and families all over the country.

To hear Collin and Kevin’s conversation about supporting students’ mental health using remote learning technology listen to Remote Possibilities: How Remote Learning Tech Can Cure Today’s Mental Health Crisis on MarketScale.