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The Mental Health Parent & Student Advisory Council (MHPSAC)
MHPSAC was formed in order to give students and parents a voice regarding the mental health initiative in Methuen. The goals of the MHPSAC will be to identify steps to reduce stigma related to mental health problems, promote health and wellbeing through increased awareness and prevention, improve students’ access to and use of mental health services and supports, and continue to strengthen and unify our community regarding mental health awareness and access to quality services and supports.
Interested students and parents/guardians are encouraged to join these monthly, virtual sessions to engage in discussion and collaborative planning that will guide the continued design and implementation of social emotional and mental health services and supports across Methuen Public Schools.
If any students or guardians are interested in joining the Mental Health Parent & Student Advisory Council, please email John Crocker, Director of School Mental Health & Behavioral Services at jncrocker@methuen.k12.ma.us.
Mental Health Literacy and Social Emotional Learning Activities
Nan Project Classroom Presentations:
Students in grades 6 and 9 will participate in the Nan Project classroom presentations. The classroom presentations are an opportunity for students to hear from Peer Mentors from the Nan Project who will share their stories of recovery from a mental health crisis and how they navigated accessing support. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions about each Peer Mentor’s individual story and will gain knowledge about how to identify the signs and symptoms of a mental health problem in themselves and a peer, how to identify trusted adults and supports within the community, and examples of positive coping skills that will foster health and wellness.
NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS) Presentation:
Grade 8 students will participate in the Ending the SIlence presentation offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Ending the Silence is a free, evidence-based, 50-minute session designed for middle and high school students. Students will learn about mental health conditions through a brief presentation, short videos, and personal testimony from a young adult who describes their journey to recovery.
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Lesson:
SOS (website with training materials and resources) is an evidence-based youth suicide prevention program that has demonstrated an improvement in students’ knowledge and adaptive attitudes about suicide risk and depression.
SOS teaches students how to identify signs of depression and suicide in themselves and their peers, while providing materials that support school professionals, parents, and communities in recognizing at-risk students and taking appropriate action. This year, SOS will be facilitated in grades 5, 7, and 9. The grade 5 lesson should take place before universal screening in order to support students with understanding the topic of seeking support for themselves or a friend and to broach the topic of suicide prior to screening. Methuen Public Schools has consulted with SOS and St. Louis Public Schools regarding their successful facilitation of SOS in grade 5, which informed our decision to provide instruction on this important topic to students in grade 5. We will continue to prioritize delivery of SOS in September to align with Suicide Awareness month and to ensure our grade 5 students have exposure to curriculum that covers suicide awareness and prevention prior to screening in October.
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