CRLS Focuses on Student Mental Health

CRLS Focuses on Student Mental Health
Posted on 03/29/2018
According to the 2016 Teen Health Survey data, students reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression rose in the past 10 years, with 29% reporting anxiety symptoms and 25% reporting depression symptoms in 2016. Nationally, 20% of youth ages 13-18 live with a mental health condition.

Recognizing the importance of talking about mental health and wellness for our youth the Cambridge Public Health Department and Cambridge Public Schools are co-sponsoring a presentation by the Minding Your Mind organization. The goal is to provide an educational program on mental health issues to CRLS students, parents and staff.
  • Monday, April 23: All Staff Presentation – Just Talk About It
    The all staff meeting will focus on how we as educators can be best equipped to identify students in need, as well as connect them with appropriate supports. This interactive presentation is an introduction to mental health, which is designed to train both adults and youth on how to recognize the warning signs of stress, anxiety, depression, and crisis. Just Talk About It will educate adolescents and the adults who support them to look beyond stigma and notice warning signs in themselves and their peers. Staff will participate in an educational session with John Mattleman, Clinical Supervisor of MYM for Massachusetts.
  • Thursday, April 26: All School Presentation
    Assemblies will be held for each grade level during the school day. The presentation to CRLS students will be provided by a trained young adult speaker with lived experience. The speaker will share their own story living with mental health issues and their story of recovery. Issues that are addressed in the presentations include: mood disorders, suicide ideation, eating disorder, addictive behavior, self-harm and bullying. The goal of the presentations is to reduce stigma associated with mental health issues. Students will hear from Andrew, a young adult with lived experience. The Teen Health Center Staff at CRLS will provide information on their services at the start of the presentation.
  • Thursday, April 26 | 6-8PM: Parent Workshop – Just Talk About It 
    Parents have the opportunity to attend a workshop in the evening. This interactive presentation is an introduction to mental health, which is designed to train both adults and youth on how to recognize the warning signs of stress, anxiety, depression, and crisis. Just Talk About It will educate adolescents and the adults who support them to look beyond stigma and notice warning signs in themselves and their peers. Parents will participate in an educational session with Shelia Dylan, Clinical Supervisor at MYM and peer speaker Andrew. Shelia will provide the clinical information and Andrew will present his story of experience and recovery. See workshop flyer >>
Additional specific scheduling and procedural information regarding these events is forthcoming, but you can find more information on all three workshop experiences at the Minding Your Mind website.

About Minding Your Mind:
Minding Your Mind’s primary objective is to provide mental health education to adolescents, teens, and young adults, as well as parents, teachers, and school administrators. The goal is to break the silence, to reduce the stigma and destructive behaviors often associated with mental health issues and illnesses, and to move away from crisis-based response to prevention through education. 

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