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California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 172 declares May 4-8, 2020 to be the inaugural annual “Student Mental Health Week” in California. This page provides school counselors with an exciting and virtually engaging toolkit so that school counselors are able to provide mental wellness strategies and positive coping techniques for students statewide. In addition, to support the continued professional development of school counselors with enriching best practices and offering a platform for enlightening real-time discussions, the California Association of School Counselors (CASC) will be hosting a webinar series that are focused into four themes:
1. Mental Wellness: Redefining our health from a wellness perspective and reducing stigma
2. Understanding Trauma & the Grief Process through COVID-19
3. Top 5 Mental Health Issues that our Youth Experience (Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Substance Use)
4. Suicide Awareness and Prevention
We invite you to help us meet the mental wellness challenges of students across California by using this week as a platform to talk about mental health. As the week progresses, we ask that you hashtag #CA4studentwellness with all events and activities, so that we are able to celebrate your creativity and implementation statewide.
In order to download a copy:
You will need to change the word “EDIT,” which will appear with the initial click.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jYkRr3BKdKli3ootn4XmjF-JhPrdF_o7gGMm5aYWkRw/edit
To “COPY”:
This will allow you to make a local copy on your computer that is fully customizable to your liking.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jYkRr3BKdKli3ootn4XmjF-JhPrdF_o7gGMm5aYWkRw/copy
Important Note: Please follow the instructions to make a copy in your drive, so that you are able to customize and edit files. Requests for edit access will not be permitted as any approvals would alter the master templates. Thank you for utilizing these resources and we hope that these materials help you to enrich the lives of the students you serve.
This presentation is designed for school counselors to provide staff with information about mental health and mental illness. The difference between mental health & mental illness, warning signs of mental illness, ways to support students, and self-care strategies are explained and presented.
This presentation is designed for school counselors to provide school-wide trauma-informed professional development to all staff. ACES scores, the impact of trauma, and practical ways to address trauma within the educational setting are explained and reviewed.
This presentation is designed to help school counselors provide parent education on supporting their child’s mental health and well-being. Included for each age level are relevant and timely statistics, risk versus protective factors, what role ACES scores and trauma plays in development, how to identify signs of declining mental health, and what parents can do to support their child at all stages of development. The presentation is customized for elementary school, middle school, and high school levels, and it is encouraged that counselors further customize their version to fit the unique needs of their student population.
In this two-part, 1.5 hour webinar we explore resources for Student Mental Health Week on May 4-8, 2020 and for a deeper look into the new co-sponsored web resource found on this website.
Part I: This segment of the webinar will provide an overview of events & resources associated with California Student Mental Health Week (SMHW). The first annual SMHW is an advocacy effort designed to draw attention to mental health issues facing California youth. With lessons, activities & social media posts available for downloading.
Part II: Join members of the COVID-19 Emergency Task Force as they introduce key resources on the recently launched COVID-19 Website. Presenters will do a deep dive into this complete & ready-to-use resources for administrators, school counselors, caregivers and students.
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Mental Wellness: Redefining our health from a wellness perspective and reducing Stigma!
Join us for an informative and engaging presentation focused on Student Mental Wellness. Often, students who are experiencing mental health difficulties feel shame and fear, which may prevent them from seeking support. Presenters will discuss the concept of mental wellness and mental health stigma. They will provide current and relevant data regarding children’s and youth’s mental health, as well as ideas on how school counselors can support mental health in schools during this time of school closures. Participants will walk away with resources to support their students, families, and communities.
Understanding Trauma & the Grief Process through COVID-19
This session will cover the basics of trauma informed care and grief and trauma from the lens of what we as school counselors/educators are experiencing during this time of COVID-19 and school closures. The presenters will address how, through our own grieving process, we can support a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Tier 1 process of supporting school staff, teachers, students and families now and preparation for the return to a school setting next school year.
Top 5 Mental Health Issues that our Youth Experience (Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Substance Use)
This session provides an enriching and engaging panel discussion exploring the top five mental health issues that our youth experience today (anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, and substance abuse) moderated by Josh Godinez (President-Elect, CASC & Centennial High School, Corona).
Suicide Awareness and Prevention
Suicide remains the second leading cause of death among youth today. Especially during this pandemic, we need to remain vigilant in providing supportive services for our students' social and emotional needs. Attendees who are willing to dig deep, and possibly get a bit emotional, will learn about the school counselor’s leading role in implementing suicide prevention programs and crisis response services, by exploring current research and best practices. Dr. Loren Dittmar describes his training through song, personal experience and his deep knowledge in understanding the role school counselors play in suicide prevention and school mental health practices.
Happy Hour
Please join Sarah Slemmons (2020 California School Counselor of the Year & Middle School Counselor) and Ashley Kruger (CASC President & Elementary School Counselor) for happy hour! Grab your favorite drink and come meet other school counselors from around California. Since this week is focused on Mental Wellness, Sarah and Ashley will be facilitating a conversation about "your best self-care ideas!" We look forward to great discussions, laughter and networking. Hope to see you there.
It’s All About the Students
This session uplifts the perspective of students through testimonies, survey responses, and contest entries. ACLU in partnership with the CASC recently launched a contest to provide students with a platform to express their feelings about mental health services in school and the impact of the pandemic. Students were encouraged to submit essays, poetry, visual arts, songs, videos, and other forms of expression. In this session, students from the Youth Liberty Squad (ACLU) will share the perspective of fellow students across California and the reasons why school-based mental health is a civil right. The contest submissions will be shared with the State Superintendent and Governor to further advocate for school-based mental health.
The mental health of all California students is a fundamental priority of the school counselor. With the rise in mental health needs, it became apparent that schools across California needed to make this a priority. California school counseling leaders have worked with partnering organizations and individuals like the American Civil Liberties Union and California Assemblymember Low to recognize the first week in May as “California Student Mental Health Week.” In learning this, the following individuals from all levels and California geographical regions answered the call to put together this toolkit for school counselors to address the needs of students, families, and the entire educational community during this time. Thank you is not enough for their volunteered time, tireless leadership, and endless selflessness with the creation of this toolkit and we hope that you join us in thanking them by promoting “California Student Mental Health Week 2020” at your respective sites.
Mental Health Toolkit Leadership Committee
Loretta Whitson (Executive Director, California Association of School Counselors {CASC}), Caroline Lopez-Perry (CASC Counseling Educator Representative & Professor, California State University Long Beach), Josh Godinez (CASC President Elect & High School Counselor, Centennial High School/Corona Norco USD), Alexis Goddard (CASC Southern California Representative & School Counselor, Raney Intermediate/El Cerrito MS/Corona Norco USD), Amy Dauble-Madigan (CASC Past-President & Elementary School Counselor, Culver City USD), Sarah Slemmons (California School Counselor of the Year 2020 & Middle School Counselor, Culver City USD)
Mental Health Toolkit Committee Taskforce
Rachel Andrews (CASC Los Angeles County Representative & Middle School Counselor, Redondo Beach Unified School District) , Kirsten Barnes (CASC Parliamentarian & Hanford West High School, Hanford Joint USD), Amber Beach (Middle School Counselor, Redondo Beach Unified School District), Jennifer Bernal (University of La Verne Graduate Student & Chaffey College), Kathryn Buchan (School Counselor, Buljan Middle School, Roseville City School District), Andres Castro (CASC Elementary School Vice President &
Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor, Los Angeles USD), Loren Dittmar (High School Counselor, Simi Valley USD & Cal Lutheran University), Kelly Egan (Middle School Counselor, Redondo Beach Unified School District), Yadira Hernandez (California State University, Long Beach Graduate Student), Linda Hudson (CASC Business Manager), Kaishauna Johnson (Chino High School, Chino Valley USD & University of La Verne), Mike Johnson (California Baptist University Graduate Student), Randee Kirkemo (Orange Grove High School, Corona-Norco USD & Chapman University Lecturer), Andrea Lanter (Middle School Counselor, Las Virgenes Unified School District), Nicole Lanfranco (CASC Operations & Event Associate), Jasmin Matthews (National University Graduate Student), Jenna Mendez (TK-12 District Foster Youth Counselor, Corona-Norco Unified School District), Elizabeth Morlet (Parkside Education Center/Handy Elementary, School Counselor, Orange USD), Rebecca Pianta (CASC District Administration Supervisor Representative & Coordinator, Counseling and Student Support, Capistrano USD), Jeff Ream (CASC Technology Chair & High School Counselor, North Tahoe High School, Tahoe Truckee USD), Sofia Robles (San Diego State University Graduate Student), Anita Shirley (School Counseling Services Coordinator, Corona-Norco Unified School District), Jenny Thai (Elementary School Counselor, Capistrano Unified School District), Alexandra Todd (K-8 School Counselor, Capistrano Unified School District)
*INDICATES: COVID-19 AND/OR VIRTUAL RESOURCES
For questions or comments, please contact: covid19help@schoolcounselor-ca.org
Funded by the California Association of School Counselors
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