Starting the Conversation: Supporting Mental Health in South Carolina Schools

Aug. 20, 2026

Students face many pressures as they grow. School demands, friendships, family changes and concerns about the future can all affect their mental health. When students struggle, they may not know what they are feeling or where to turn for help.

Mental health can shape how young people learn, build relationships and handle challenges. It can also affect school attendance and daily life. Yet stigma can make it hard for students to speak openly about what they are going through.

Helping students understand mental health is an important first step. They need to know how to recognize warning signs, support a friend and reach out to a trusted adult when help is needed.

Schools are an important place for this work. Students spend much of their time there, surrounded by classmates, teachers and other trusted adults. Schools can reach many young people with clear and consistent information about mental health.

South Carolina has also expanded access to mental health care in schools. From 2022 to September 2024, the state's mental health counselor-to-student ratio improved from about one counselor for every 1,300 students to one for every 593 students, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. That progress has helped make support more available to students across the state.

Access to care is important, but students must also know when and how to ask for help.

Building Mental Health Awareness

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation supports programs that help young people learn about mental health and connect to support. The Foundation invests in community partners working to improve health outcomes and access to care across South Carolina.

One of those partners is NAMI South Carolina. With support from the Foundation, NAMI South Carolina is expanding mental health education for students through its Youth-Centered Awareness & Education team.

The project builds on Foundation grants awarded in 2019 and 2022. It continues NAMI Ending the Silence and adds Mental Fitness and M.E., which stands for Mental Exercise. Together, the programs offer students different ways to learn about mental health.

Both programs are designed to increase knowledge, reduce stigma and encourage students to seek help when they need it.

Reaching Students Through Ending the Silence

NAMI Ending the Silence is an evidence-based program for middle and high school students. It teaches students about mental health conditions, warning signs and ways to get help for themselves or someone they know.

NAMI South Carolina often presents the program in school assemblies or other large settings. This allows the same message to reach many students at one time.

Through the Foundation-supported project, NAMI South Carolina plans to provide at least 3,750 Ending the Silence presentations in at least 100 school districts. The goal is to reach an estimated 178,500 young people, or about 35 percent of South Carolinians ages 13 to 18.

The program gives students practical information. They learn how to notice possible warning signs, how to respond when a friend may need support and why talking with a trusted adult matters.

Creating Space for Deeper Conversations

Mental Fitness and M.E. (Mental Exercise) builds on that broad awareness through smaller group sessions. NAMI South Carolina delivers the program in settings such as health classes, student clubs and after-school programs.

These smaller groups allow more time for discussion and personal connection. Students learn about mindfulness and healthy communication while building skills they can use in daily life.

The project is expected to expand Mental Fitness and M.E. from two South Carolina counties to 15, reaching about 1,500 students.

Ending the Silence and Mental Fitness and M.E. serve different purposes. One can reach a large number of students with a shared message. The other creates space for deeper learning and conversation. Together, they offer a more complete approach to mental health education.

Helping Students Take the Next Step

Mental health education is not only about sharing facts. It is also about helping young people feel prepared to act.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) South Carolina wants students to leave its programs knowing how to recognize early warning signs and help someone who may be struggling. The project also aims to help more students identify a trusted adult they can speak with about mental health concerns.

That trusted adult might be a parent, teacher, school counselor, coach or another person who can listen and help the student take the next step. Asking for support can feel difficult. Clear information and open conversations can make it easier.

The project also supports stronger connections between schools and mental health services. School staff will track referrals to school-based and community resources when concerns arise. This can help schools better understand whether students are connecting to available support.

Learning and Improving

NAMI South Carolina will work with the University of South Carolina School Behavioral Health Team to study both programs. The team will look at Ending the Silence and Mental Fitness and M.E. separately and review how they work when used together.

This work will help NAMI South Carolina understand what students learn, how the programs affect attitudes about mental health and whether students connect with support after a presentation. The findings can then guide future improvements.

This measured approach is important. It allows NAMI South Carolina and its partners to build on what is working and adjust the programs as student and community needs change.

Supporting Stronger Futures

Schools cannot meet every mental health need alone. Parents, educators, community organizations and health leaders all have a role in helping young people feel supported.

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation supports programs like these because early education can help students understand their mental health and know when to ask for help. By supporting NAMI South Carolina, the Foundation is helping bring clear, age-appropriate mental health information to more students and communities across the state.

When young people know the warning signs, understand that help is available and feel comfortable speaking with a trusted adult, they are better prepared to support themselves and others. Starting those conversations in school can help students build knowledge and confidence for the future.

NAMI is an independent organization that provides health information you may find useful.