Social workers on the front lines reveal DC kids' numbness to crime, mental health issues

WASHINGTON (7News) — This Teacher Appreciation Week, 7News sat down with those on the front lines, helping kids face life’s challenges.

Quinn Flowers has been a social worker for 17 years. Twelve of those, at Roosevelt High School in Northwest, D.C.

7News asked Flowers what types of challenges kids are grappling with.

"Crime is actually one of the most challenges that we see here at Roosevelt," Flowers said. "Some of our students know someone directly. It's impacted them, either, you know, directly or indirectly--on their way to school, on their way from school, having to navigate that, it's been a huge challenge."

Sometimes, crime breaches school walls. Just last week, a student was grazed by a bullet while sitting in her world history class inside Dunbar High School, also in Northwest. The shooting played out on the street outside.

RELATED | 2 teens arrested after Dunbar High School student grazed by bullet in exchange of gunfire

"A lot of our students seem to be very much unfazed, and they don’t realize how it has directly impacted them," Flowers said. "Almost like, they just become numb to the situation. So if you ask them directly, 'How are you doing, how are you feeling because of this,' they’ll say, 'Oh I’m OK. Oh, I'm good.' So they really are numb to the situation because it happens so often, which is really sad."

Other students, for instance, are very concerned for their safety, and sometimes they become too preoccupied with that, and then you know, they develop some kind of anxious behaviors around that as well, Flowers added.

Flowers said the students also deal with a host of mental health challenges.

"Depression, anxiety, it could be even testing anxiety or something a little bit more grand," Flowers said. "Also too, self-harming behaviors, suicide ideation or attempts have been on the rise."

I don’t have the answer to exactly what it is or what causes it, but it does exist," Flowers said. "We all have moments that bring us down, and I think it’s just trying to figure out how to manage those feelings, so it wont become something greater.

With some pointing the finger at social media. D.C.’s Attorney General is suing multiple platforms, accusing them of adding to youth depression and ideas of self-harm. Several Maryland counties have as well.

RELATED | DC Attorney General sues Meta, claims addictive social media platform endangering youth

Other states like Florida are trying to set age limits for kids online.

Across the DMV, school systems are also working to fight truancy.

"We are trying our best at the school level to engage our students, making them want to learn, making them interested in the topics that are discussed in the classroom that’s relatable to them, so they can have a buy-in," Flowers said. "Not to say it’s an easy fix, by all means, it’s not --- and that’s something we continue to work on."

Flowers said there is always a need for more resources, like more mental health professionals at schools and more community support. At home, she points to clear communication.

"When we’re all on the same page, everything flows smoothly. The teachers having communication with families, having communication with teachers and social workers, everything goes hand in hand," Flowers said. "There’s transparency, there’s honesty, and with that, you get the needed support for families."

We ended our conversation by asking Flowers, "Are youth in crisis?"

"I think that there are moments where our youth are in crisis, I don't believe they're in crisis all the time, but I think there are some moments when they do need extra support and services," Flowers said. "And when that does happen, just to be open to receive those services, and take away the stigma when it comes to mental health."