supporting kids' mental health

Michelle Liu
May 27, 2025
health

This is part II of our series on Mental Health Awareness Month. Read part I, what to do when anxiety takes over.

While I’m more open about my mental health now, that wasn’t always the case. As a teenager, I hid my struggles with anxiety from my friends and family. Looking back, I wish I could tell my younger self that a strong support circle was actually what I needed most.

Now, the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) is making sure youth don’t feel alone in their struggles. It’s partnered with Cook Center for Human Connection, a national nonprofit, to equip parents and teachers with the resources they need to better support our keiki.

A collaborative effort
The youth mental health crisis was already on the rise over the last decade, but it was declared a national emergency in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the problem. Depression and anxiety symptoms doubled among youth from 2019 to 2021, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

School counselors, teachers, and educators have noticed the concerning trend. While they create supportive classroom environments and build positive relationships with students to help them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, parents and guardians also play a crucial role at home.

“When children and teens have a strong, supportive relationship with adult family members, their mental health improves,” says Ayada Bonilla, school-based behavioral health educational specialist for the HIDOE Office of Student Support Services. “Parents play a pivotal role in building trust and secure attachments, recognizing and addressing emotional needs, and helping to normalize conversations about mental health and overall well-being.”

However, caregivers may not know how to help their kids with these concerns. That’s why the HIDOE is helping by offering them and educators free access to parentguidance.org, which provides one-on-one coaching, virtual sessions led by licensed therapists, a Q&A forum, and online courses covering topics like establishing healthy boundaries and understanding emotional development.

“Parents and educators with knowledge and tools can better support youth by recognizing challenges early, taking proactive steps, and strengthening support systems, which leads to better student outcomes,” says Bonilla.

Catering to Hawaii’s unique needs
Since parentguidance.org was made available to local families and educators last August, the website has had over 40,000 visits from those seeking information on supporting children with their mental health and building stronger connections with their keiki. More than 450 school staff have participated in professional development training, which was customized to cater to Hawaii educators’ unique needs.

“Department leaders selected key topics to support school staff, including managing stress and compassion fatigue, building kind and supportive school cultures, and promoting mindfulness,” says Bonilla.

The resources were also customized to meet the needs of parents and guardians; the website refined its materials based on direct feedback from multiple families, which has been overwhelmingly positive.

“One parent’s powerful response explained that parentguidance.org came at just the right time as they ‘hit a wall’ trying to figure it out on their own,” shares Bonilla. “They learned how their own upbringing was impacting their parenting and were grateful for the tools to break the cycle.”

Cascading effect
While the new resources are helping caregivers support their kids’ mental and emotional well-being, they also have had an unintended but welcome impact on the adults.

“People who have a coach say it’s comforting to know they’re not alone and have an unbiased and nonjudgmental confidant to open up to,” says Bonilla. “Their coaches are empathetic and supportive while providing meaningful guidance, particularly as many struggle with self-doubt just trying to navigate parenthood.”

The one-on-one coaching has helped parents and guardians take care of their emotional well-being, which, in turn, helps their child thrive.

“Parents and caregivers who have used coaching feel it’s helped them be stronger and more resilient in their parenting,” adds Bonilla. “They’re reassured knowing they’re not alone, and many share that they feel more supported and equipped to handle challenges at home.”

This is part II of our series on Mental Health Awareness Month. Read part I, what to do when anxiety takes over.

Keep fighting
Mental Health Awareness Month is coming to an end, but the fight to break the stigma and help people who are struggling continues. Learn more below.

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