assistance may be needed for this population.
School social workers and counselors can work more with teenagers who are pregnant to
see if they are suffering from depression or other mental health problems. It would be beneficial
for schools to implement policy addressing how their counselors and social workers should
address pregnant students. All pregnant students could be assessed for mental health issues and
connected to relevant services. If mental health is addressed during pregnancy, teenage mothers
can be better prepared for having a child. It is important for school employees to help these
young women receive necessary treatment and services.
This study could also provide implications for prevention efforts regarding mental health
issues during and after pregnancy. School social workers can address mental health issues with
teenagers who are pregnant to prepare them for potential issues. Social workers can educate
pregnant teenagers about mental health and strategies for dealing with the stress that comes along
with pregnancy.
Outside of the school setting, other agencies in West Michigan can also get involved in
addressing adolescent pregnancy. Pregnant teenagers could benefit from different services.
Support groups outside of school could be helpful to this population. Pregnant teenagers could
interact with others in similar situations from different schools, teenagers who are mothers and
social workers who are trained to work with parenting teenagers. This would give a new level of
support to these individuals. Support groups could prevent metal health issues and help pregnant
teenagers through any current mental health issues. There are multiple ways social workers can
assist pregnant teenagers and address potential mental health issues, specifically depression. This
study could provide implications for social workers focusing on providing services to this
population.