May is Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM), and in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, mental health awareness is a topic that could not be more relevant.
One of the foundations of the CISNT mission is the belief that every child deserves a safe and stable place to learn and grow. For many children, that safe and stable place is a school campus. At school, children experience established routines and stability, as well as consistent check-ins with trusted adults. As many school campuses closed for the remainder of the school year and transitioned to online-only learning, many students struggled with their new learning environment and new daily routines.
In response, CISNT has gone above and beyond to make sure that students’ mental health needs are being met in the absence of a school campus. CISNT site coordinators have been providing support through regular calls and check-ins with students and their families. As of the end of April, CISNT has made over 4,700 check-in calls to assess student and family needs, provide referrals to resources, and to provide an open ear for those who are facing new challenges.
Strickland Middle School Site Coordinator Substitute Tracey Quezada has been providing helpful mental health pointers to her students during her regular check-ins.
Tracey writes:
“I have been providing them self-care tips to incorporate in their everyday lives. I elaborate on the importance of self-care and encourage them to do fun activities to distract their minds for a little while.”
At Stewart’s Creek Elementary, CISNT staff have been tackling student mental health by providing unique resources for dealing with stress.
Site Coordinator Caroline Watson writes:
“This month, CIS at Stewart’s Creek created a video to help students learn different ways to reduce stress. The first video released captures the top 5 ways to bust stress. Part two will be coming out in May.”
You can view Stewart Creek CIS’ stress-busting video here.
CISNT efforts to support mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic don’t stop there. Many CISNT coordinators have reported a variety of awesome and unique ways that CISNT staff have been addressing student mental health, from family-oriented mental health activities to SEL support and emotional evaluations. CISNT Mental Health Coordinator Bevin Pierce has also been taking steps to reach out to students especially in need of mental health services during this time, including providing direct counseling, weekly check-ins, and transferring students to outside counseling services.
CISNT also presented a webinar facilitated by Director of Mental Health and Resiliency Regina deLeon M.Ed., LPC-S. The webinar, titled “Recognizing Anxiety and Stress in Children: Signs, Symptoms & Coping Strategies,”explored the ways that anxiety and stress can manifest in children. The webinar aired on Friday, May 22, and featured special guest Maricela deLeon, who talked about some of the ways that she is impacted by occasional anxiety and stress.
You can view the webinar here.
Mental health awareness doesn’t stop with the end of May. The CDC reports that up to 1 in 5 U.S. children experience a mental disorder in a given year, and CISNT Site Coordinators and staff will continue to provide coordinated mental health services to students throughout the school year. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought new barriers for students, and CISNT is committed to provide innovative services and resources to empower students to achieve in school!
