Document Type
Portfolio
Publication Date
Summer 2026
Abstract
Goal Statement: The goal of this social change portfolio is to prevent mental health issues in children and adolescents with learning disabilities in the state of Utah.
Significant Findings: Children and adolescents with learning disabilities (LDs) in Utah face elevated risks of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and related difficulties stemming from chronic academic frustration and social challenges, yet substantial service gaps for this vulnerable population exist. Approximately 58% of children needing mental health care in Utah do not receive any, and only about half of the estimated 58,000 students diagnosed with LDs have specialized educational supports such as individualized education plans (IEPs) (Learning Disabilities Association of Utah, n.d.). LDs and subsequent mental health challenges are cumulative and lifelong, affecting educational attainment, relationships, and later independence. Risk and protective factors interact bidirectionally across individual, relational, community, and societal levels of the social-ecological model. Risk and Resilience Theory combined with Utah’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports offers a practical framework for interrupting the pathway from academic struggle to mental-health crisis (Raines, 2025). Rural youth experience compounded barriers of limited provider availability and affordability, calling for culturally adapted, accessible interventions. Systemic advocacy is required to address stigma, fragmented care, and to ensure Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding so that early, multi-level prevention can reach those most at risk.
Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps: The overall objectives of this prevention portfolio are to increase awareness of mental health challenges faced by children and adolescents with LDs, shift the narrative from a reactive to a proactive stance, close the gap between those receiving specialized education services and those who are not, increase environmental protective factors while decreasing risks, and improve societal conditions by decreasing stigma and increasing normalization of neurodivergence and mental health challenges. Strategies, interventions, and next steps to accomplish these objectives must be provided through a multilevel, bidirectional systems approach such as the social-ecological model (SEM) (Centers for Disease Control, 2024). Utilization of Risk and Resilience theory through the Utah Multi-Tiered System of Supports program can help ensure assistance through universal, targeted, and intensive intervention efforts (Raines, 2025). Adaptation of and partnerships with programs such as Parents Taking Action and the “Love Your Mind” campaign can help to reach children and families in rural areas of Utah who may be at an increased risk of not receiving needed services due to lack of accessibility and affordability. Advocacy efforts to ensure full funding through IDEA must also be utilized.
