Headstream convened a diverse working group of 12 educational leaders whose collaboration resulted in a Roadmap with 10 key recommendations that can be put into action via the Navigator, a free, web-based resource for K-12 administrators and educators to inform and guide the process of choosing and using digital tools to support the mental health and well-being of students. The Navigator helps guide schools and districts serving adolescents from historically marginalized communities through the digital health product procurement journey with key features, including:

• Identifying Core Challenges: Outlining evidence-based recommended practices for addressing common student mental health challenges.
• Discovering School Success Stories: Understanding examples of successful implementations of digital well-being products in diverse school districts and learning from case studies.
• Funding Guidance: Exploring expert recommendations of processes for stakeholder engagement around assessing and selecting digital mental health products and strategies for resourcing initiatives.
• Product Selection: Identifying key considerations to ensure the right product fit, including examples of 20 products that could be used to support youth mental health in schools.

These solutions come as nearly 70% of public schools have reported that the number of students seeking mental health services has increased since 2020.

“In-person human care and interaction is critical to support student well-being,” said David Ball, Senior Director at Headstream. “However, the resources and capacity don’t currently exist to meet the needs schools face. Technology-based interventions can support counselors, teachers, and schools to address student mental health at scale. The Navigator will walk education decision-makers through product procurement strategies that solve pressing issues like counselor shortages, and early intervention.”

“As a former district leader myself, I have seen the need for innovative and flexible solutions when dealing with the complexity of student mental health. With the Navigator, administrators and district leaders will have a resource to help them make informed decisions on integrating digital interventions into their existing supports and systems for protecting the emotional well-being and mental health of students and school communities nationwide,” said Tony Walker, PhD, Senior Vice President of Academic Programs at JED.

“We all know that schools are searching for solutions to meet the growing mental health needs of students and staff in this country. The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is excited to partner with Headstream and The Jed Foundation to develop this critically important resource for school districts who are struggling to connect students and staff to mental health services,” stated Michelle Harper, Executive Vice President of State Partnerships and Executive Director of the Center for Child & Family Wellness at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.

The K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator is being provided for educational and informational purposes only. It provides illustrative examples of technology products that are marketed by third-party vendors for purchase and implementation by schools to augment support for mental health and well-being for its students. The K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator is not an exhaustive list of all such products. The inclusion or exclusion of any product in this list does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement in any way by SecondMuse or its partners, The Jed Foundation, or the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. Read more here.

If you are interested in learning more about the Navigator, visit the website. To collaborate with Headstream on supporting student mental health, please contact [email protected]. 

About Headstream 
Headstream, an innovation program by SecondMuse, exists to improve the mental well-being of adolescents, with a focus on systematically excluded communities including BIPOC, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Headstream reshapes how the health, education, and social tech systems prioritize youth mental health. By 2026, Headstream strives to support the mental well-being of 20 million young people, integrate digital mental health products into over 150 school districts, and support 100+ entrepreneurs to generate over $200 million in revenue. Learn more about our programs at: https://www.headstreaminnovation.com/ 

About SecondMuse
SecondMuse is a global impact and innovation company that works with communities focused on climate, equity, and tech to build resilient economies that benefit people and protect the planet. Our impact-driven methodology prioritizes collaboration and relational infrastructures with key stakeholders to develop market-driven solutions that transform our current systems. Over the last 15 years, we have designed, developed, and implemented a mix of innovation programming and investing capital that has reached over 160 countries and territories. Learn more about us: www.secondmuse.com. 

About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a leading nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.

Connect with JED: Email | X | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Snapchat | Pinterest | TikTok

About Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute 
Launched in 2014, the Meadows Institute helps Texas legislators, state officials, members of the judiciary, and local, state, and national leaders identify equitable systemic solutions to mental health needs and has become Texas’s most trusted source for data-driven mental health policy. The Meadows Institute is making a significant impact in multiple areas, helping Texas and national leaders shift the focus of new investments toward early intervention, addressing the mental health crisis in our jails and emergency rooms, and helping all people with mental health needs recover and be well. Learn more at mmhpi.org.

Other Roadmap Workgroup Members
Digital Futures Institute
Hazel Health
InnovateEDU
iThrive Games
Learn Lunch Fund + Accelerator

Media Contact
[email protected]

SOURCE Headstream