Mentis Monday: Supporting Young People When Emotional Safety Is at Risk
By Kellie Kennedy with Charlotte Hajer
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — In a time of significant political upheaval, we can’t overlook how profoundly a climate of uncertainty affects our students — especially when it comes to their emotional wellness and sense of safety at school. For many, simply getting to class and making it through the day can feel like an uphill battle. And for some, shifting federal policies are adding unprecedented layers of fear and instability, particularly in communities that are already marginalized.
Traditionally, schools and faith communities have been viewed as safe havens — places where young people and families can find stability and support. But lately, even those spaces are being disrupted and sometimes transformed into places where families are separated or individuals are detained. Imagine the ripple effect on a young person’s perception of safety. When the very foundations they rely on are shaken, the ground beneath them feels unsteady in every way.
So how do we respond?
We start by making emotional safety a top priority. That means creating an environment where students feel secure enough to share their experiences, ask for help, and be themselves without fear of judgment or consequences. It’s not just a “nice to have” — it’s a basic requirement for learning, growth and well-being.
“We can choose to open doors of trust and belonging, and to keep those doors open even when systems and policies seem determined to close them.” — Kellie Kennedy
What Emotional Safety Looks Like
Adolescence is already a complex chapter of life. Young people are figuring out who they are, navigating friendships and relationships, forming identities and naturally pulling away from adults as they seek independence. If they don’t feel emotionally safe during this pivotal time, the impact can be profound and long-lasting.
Consider the student who comes to school exhausted — not because they stayed up late studying but because they’ve been working extra hours to help pay the rent. Perhaps their family is sharing a small apartment with another household because housing is unaffordable for lots of households in our community – or they’ve left their parents at home, afraid of leaving the house for fear of encountering an immigration agent. That student walks into school carrying fear: fear that the family they left at home in the morning may not be there when they return.
Now ask yourself: Who can that student safely talk to? And what happens if opening up might put their loved ones at risk?
This is not a hypothetical scenario. It’s the lived reality for many of our students — and it’s only getting harder.
Fewer Resources, Greater Need
The need for mental health support in schools has never been greater, yet the resources available are shrinking. This year alone, the number of school sites where Mentis will be providing direct services has been reduced by nearly 50% as a result of funding cuts that trickle down from the federal government, via the State of California, to our local government, school districts and nonprofit agencies. That means fewer students will have access to the help they need. Fewer safe adults to turn to. More silence. More fear.
When these services disappear, the responsibility of supporting students in need often falls on teachers, administrators and school staff — many of whom are already stretched thin. Our schools can still be places of refuge, but it takes all of us. It takes intention. And it takes action.
What We Can Do — Together
Visible signs of inclusion — Pride flags in classrooms, multilingual signage, diverse staff representation — send a powerful message: You belong here. You are safe here. But the work can’t stop at symbols. It’s also about the conversations we’re willing to have, the small moments we take to connect and the ways we show our young people that their stories matter, even when they can’t speak them out loud.
That might look like:
Greeting students by their preferred name every day.
Making space for emotional check-ins in the classroom.
Validating feelings rather than dismissing them.
Offering a “cool-down” space when students feel overwhelmed – thankfully, many of our school sites already have one onsite.
Being intentional about including voices and perspectives that reflect the diversity of the student body.
None of these actions requires a new budget line — but they do require attention, empathy and a commitment to seeing students as whole people, not just learners.
The Role of Adults
This isn’t about placing more responsibility on our students — they’re already carrying so much. It’s about us, the adults, holding space for them with accountability and integrity. We can be the steady presence that counters the instability they may face elsewhere. We can choose to open doors of trust and belonging, and to keep those doors open even when systems and policies seem determined to close them.
Keeping the Doors Open
For many of our youth, literal and figurative doors are closing — doors to resources, opportunities and even physical spaces where they once felt safe. But we still have the power to keep others open. We can choose to be intentional about which doors we open and which ones we safeguard, especially when it comes to emotional safety.
Our students need more than just a place to learn. They need spaces where they can be whole — where they can rest from carrying their burdens, even for a few hours a day. Together, we can build and protect those spaces. It starts with us noticing, listening and acting.
Let’s not underestimate the power we hold in our daily interactions with young people. When we show them, through both words and actions, that they matter and belong, we’re not just helping them get through the school day — we’re helping them build the resilience they’ll carry into every part of their lives.
Services
If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
If you or someone you love needs mental health or wellness support, please visit our Mentis Community and Youth Resource Database. Mentis is one of Napa’s oldest nonprofits and provides bilingual, affordable mental health services to people of every age and income level.
Kellie Kennedy, LMFT, is the senior clinical manager of youth programs at Mentis and a parent. She coordinates Mentis’ mental health services at school campuses and community sites throughout Napa County and Sonoma Valley. As she continues to develop her own skills as a parent, she enjoys bringing a focus on parenting and parenting support into her work with local families.
Charlotte Hajer is Mentis’ development director. She holds a Ph.D. in cross-cultural mental health and loves to write about the way individuals experience and navigate the social and cultural world around them.
Today’s Polls
Explore These Related Articles:
Browse All Napa Valley Features Stories
