Go Green for National Children’s Mental Health Week
In case you didn’t know May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the first week of it (May 3-7) is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, with May 7 officially designated as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.
In observance of all these things, all Ichabod Crane students and staff are encouraged to wear Green on Tuesday, May 4 and Friday, May 7. As a color signifying new growth and beginnings, wearing green is a way for our school community to show we support positive mental health practices for ourselves and others.
Share Your Green Pictures With Us!
Ichabod students, staff and families are invited to send green attire pictures to the district’s Communications Specialist at email@example.com for sharing on district social media.
Resources & Activities for Positive Mental Health Practices This Month (and Beyond!)
In addition to doing all we can to ensure everyone is physically healthy during these times, the district has also made a concentrated effort to focus on the mental health and wellbeing of our school community. An important part of this is regular meetings of our Mental Health Committee to assess the effectiveness of current in-school mental wellness practices and how to implement new ones. In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, the committee created a resource list for families and students to use this month and beyond. Additionally, there is an ongoing list of mental health resources on our Health & Wellness Resources page here.
Free Online Trainings from the School Mental Health Resource & Training Center
An invaluable ongoing resource for mental health resources in New York State is the School Mental Health Resource & Training Center from MHANYS. They offer a free series of online workshops and training that we encourage interested families to take advantage of. See a list of the trainings they are offering this month here and also here.
Resources for Parents/Families
1. NY Project Hope: Coping with COVID – A resource that helps parents and other caregivers recognize and help children/adolescents cope with stress.
2. Parenting in the Pandemic: A Guide for the Perplexed – A collection of articles relevant to parenting during the pandemic including useful tips and reminders.
3. VIDEO: Teen Suicide Prevention – A video from the Mayo Clinic that dispels the myths about suicide and instructs parents on what to do if their child is depressed or if they suspect their child is having suicidal thoughts.
4. What Every Parent Should Know About Youth Suicide – A brochure from the Suicide Prevention Center of NYS that coaches parents on recognizing suicide risk in their child and how to navigate the conversations that will inform the next steps.
Resources for Students
1. Press Pause – Online wellness skills builder, with videos and tips for everyday stress reduction/coping.
2. What Every Student Needs to Know: The Warning Signs of Suicide Risk – A brochure from the Suicide Prevention Center of NYS with advice for students on recognizing signs of mental distress and risk of suicide in friends.
3. Help a Friend In Need: Possible Warning Signs of Emotional Distress – More advice for students about how they can spot signs of emotional distress in their peers, including social media warning signals and taking note of sudden, dramatically different behavior.