Everyone in the group will discuss the program in the article and/or will discuss the two topics (implementation or evaluation) in general terms and quote interesting facts from the literature. In any case, be sure to ask at least one question of your fellow classmates to get the conversation started. Remember to make two substantive responses to your peers as well.
Description of the Program
The program to be implemented will comprise a team of professionals, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, guidance counselor, and social worker. This team will go into each middle and high school in a district quarterly to provide mental health education and support services, meet with staff guidance counselors, and provide insight into resources available to adolescents who struggle with mental health. The day will include time for different areas for each member to support students and staff in each school.
To start the day, the team will provide individual education sessions to each grade or as a general assembly. They will discuss mental health, who is at a higher risk for developing mental health illnesses, specific areas that adolescents may see these illnesses presenting (such as the inability to concentrate with ADHD), and generalized coping mechanisms that can be applied to various areas (National Institute of Mental Health, 2021). The students and staff will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage. Educational material will be given out, as well as QR codes for apps that are available for mental health support. Following this educational session, the team will have the opportunity to come to speak to classes and talk to students individually if the student requests. This information is documented and is passed along to guidance counselors who are staffed at the school so that they can follow up further with students who have been identified as ones who may be struggling with mental health or at high risk. During the education sessions, information will be shared with students to shed light on the available resources in times of crisis or attempted suicide.
One of the primary resources this team will share with students is using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. When dialed, this number provides 24/7 free emotional and mental support to people in suicide or mental health crisis. The students can access this lifeline by call or text. According to the program’s website, this program has answered over 23 million calls since 2005 from people in a mental health crisis. The program can dispatch a mental health professional to the scene if needed (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023). The goal of promoting this resource to adolescents would be to assist them in mental health crises to prevent attempted suicide ultimately.
Following education and discussion with the students, the team would then meet with the school guidance counselors on staff to provide support, insight, and other available resources they may need to be made aware of. The team will share at-risk students that have been identified so that the guidance counselors can follow up with these students and provide them with the support and resources they might need.
After the education and discussion sessions, the students will be sent optional online questionnaires to fill out privately if they want to learn about more resources available or feel they need additional mental health support.
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