School Reopenings Dramatically Boosted Children’s Mental Health, Study Shows
During school shutdowns, 2.8% of children were receiving professional mental health support, with average monthly costs around $50 per child. But after schools reopened, the need for such care dropped sharply. Nine months later, the likelihood of a child being treated for a mental health issue had fallen by 43%.
The study highlights that the risks of keeping schools closed were more severe than decision-makers realised at the time. With mental health care use and costs falling significantly after reopening, the data underscores the importance of in-person learning for children’s psychological health. Researchers have called for these findings to inform future policy responses during crises.
