CCCOE/ WISP

Mental Wellness Newsletter

April, 2024

May is Mental Health Month

Mental Health Awareness Month is a national campaign that takes place during the month of May. It aims to raise awareness about mental health, fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families. It is a time to remember that your mental health is essential to your overall health and that you are not alone in your struggles or recovery.

Mental Health Month Resources and Toolkits

Please review the mental health month resources and toolkits on how to gain information to spread word about mental health awareness, and activities that can be completed at your school sites to reduce stigma and celebrate mental health.

May is Mental Health Month Activity Guide - The Wellness in Schools Program

May is Mental Health Month 2024 Outreach Toolkit - Mental Health America

May is Mental Health Month 2024 Toolkit en Espanol - Mental Health America

SAMSHA Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit

Digital Toolkit for Mental Health Awareness Month

2024 Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit - Minnesota Department of Health

The Wellness in Schools Program

Mental Health Resources and Supports Hub

The Wellness in Schools Program has created a hub for Mental Health Resources and Supports. This hub is for students, staff, and families to find activities, curriculum, resources and toolkits related to mental health. Please be sure to explore the Resource Page.

Access the WISP Virtual Wellness Center Here

Free Mental Health Apps for Parents and Students

The California Department of Health Care Services on January 16th launched two new health services offering free telehealth to families with children up to age 25.

The new services include BrightLife Kids a website where families with children up to 12 years old can find mental health coaching and resources, and Soluna App a mobile app that offers mental health support for youth ages 13-25.

The two new services offer free, one-on-one coaching sessions, information on emergency resources for those facing mental health crises, a “searchable directory and live care navigation services” that can help users connect with resources available via their health plan or at their school and tools to help manage stress. Please visit both sites to learn about additional resources that are available.

Wellness Centers

WISP is very excited about the progress Contra Costa County schools made in establishing wellness centers this year. Wellness Centers in schools play a crucial role in promoting the overall well-being of students and their families. WISP wants to celebrate Mental Health Month by highlighting some of the Wellness Centers that we visited this year.

Diablo View Middle School

Antioch High School

Liberty High School

Mental Health Clubs

Dozier-Libbey hosts a Wellness Event

Dozier-Libbey has recently launched a wellness club; Bring Change 2 Mind Club this spring. The Dozier-Libbey BC2M hosted a Rose Event, where club members wrote kind messages on roses and passed them out to other students. This gesture shows that helping others can be good for our mental health.

Their first outreach event was a great success and they are busy planning activities for Mental Health Awareness Month in May.

Day of (No) Silence at Liberty High

Day of (No) Silence is a nationally-recognized student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies around the country protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools. If you are interested in receiving support for establishing GSA clubs on campus, please contact Ali Cannon at ACannon@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

GLSEN - Day of (No) Silence

2024 Contra Costa County Mental Health Champions

2024 Directing Change Winners

Congratulations to Youth Coalition member Megan Suh and Dougherty Valley students Aditri Katarey, Lilian Jacob, Shivani Ravindra, and Lisha Nagesh for taking first place in The Direction Change Student Film Contest. Their Mental Health PSA will be advancing to the statewide round of judging. We wish you luck!

Directing Change 2024 Winners

2024 WISP Parent Liaison Champions

Marta Flores - Meadow Homes Elementary Parent Liaison

Marta plays a vital role in supporting the parent community within the Mount Diablo School District. Marta is deeply involved in supporting parents, providing them with valuable resources and a supportive community space. One of her initiatives, Platicas, offers parents a platform to access resources for their children's success while connecting with each other and building a sense of community within Meadow Homes Elementary. Platicas is available every Friday, providing consistent support and connection for parents in the school community.

Thank you for being a champion for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

Viviana Lopez-Carrillo - John Swett Unified Bilingual Liaison

In the John Swett Unified School District, Viviana Lopez-Carrillo stands tall. Their impact is immeasurable, empowering families with vital information regarding mental health and much more. She doesn't wait for crises to occur, they tirelessly works to prevent them. Through information and resources, they empower families to care for their mental well-being. Their ability to communicate to families in Spanish is a gift that binds families to their communities while providing healing.

Thank you for being the a champion for the John Swett Unified School District.

Upcoming Contra Costa County Events

May

1

Mind Out Loud's 4th Annual Free Student Event: Students aged 13 and above can join their school to pick up practical tools to increase wellness, increase mental awareness, and reduce stigma.

Flyer

Registration

May

21

Miles Hall Youth Summit: The Breaking Barriers: Empowering Black Mental Health Summit explores whole person (mind, body, spirit) wellness with interactive sessions, mentorship, and community celebration of young Black people.

Flyer

Registration

May

22

A Look in the Future - Positioning NAMI CC to Preventively Support Children and Families Impacted by Mental Illness: NAMI Contra Costa and CalHOPE are hosting a panel which will discuss how to support children and families impacted by mental illness.

Price: $20.00

Registration

Upcoming Contra Costa County Trainings

May

Contra Costa Crisis Center 211 Database Training: In-person 211 database trainings. 211 session covers: different ways to search, how to create an easy access list for frequent requested resources, and much more. 211 database training is provided at no cost.

Registration

May

28

Contra Costa Crisis Center Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention: A brief overview on suicide risk assessment where participants will explore the issue of suicide, learn current suicide related statistics, understand suicide risk factors, learn how to assess for the level of suicide lethality, and a brief introduction to specific interviewing techniques for collecting accurate risk assessment information.

Target Audience: Care providers and professionals

Registration

Email WISP