By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
The Baldwinsville Central School District is making good on its promise to expand its mental health outreach efforts.
Last week, the district hosted a presentation by Jacob Mars, a certified QPR (question-persuade-refer) suicide prevention instructor from Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE).
Baker High School students filled the sanctuary of Word of Life Assembly of God Church on Dec. 13 to hear Mars’ message of how to recognize warning signs that someone may be suicidal and how to help that person. (See infographics for highlights from Mars’ presentation.)
“After today’s presentation, this will not be the end of it — the district is very committed [to improving mental health outreach],” Acting Superintendent Matt McDonald said before Mars’ presentation.
Tomorrow, Ray Middle School is set to host local author Maggie Lamond Simone, her daughter Sophie Simone and Sophie’s friend, Erin Mordaunt, to discuss anxiety and positive coping strategies. Maggie and Sophie Simone both suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder. After the presentation, students will break into groups to discuss mental health, self-esteem and other issues.
McDonald said he received “tremendous feedback” on Mars’ presentation from students and staff alike, but he acknowledged that mental illness is a sensitive issue.
“I was nervous and scared. Whenever you talk about such a fragile topic like suicide you don’t know what to expect,” McDonald said.
McDonald said at least one Ray parent has told him the topics are too heavy for middle schoolers, but he reiterated that the district’s goal is to put mental health on par with physical health.
“You’re not going to get everybody to agree with you, but I can’t let one or two families discourage me from the big picture,” he said.
As for what’s next, McDonald said he would like to host a community-wide mental health forum, similar to the forums on opiate abuse the district has held. He would also like to start an after-school program to create a safe place for students to discuss their stresses, but he said he’s not yet sure what shape that program will take.
“I figure it’d just be a place to go on a Friday night instead of getting into trouble … make new friends and supporting each other,” he said.
McDonald said he is working to improve professional development for B’ville’s counseling staff, and he hopes to hire more counselors at the secondary level.
Above all, McDonald emphasized the importance of teaching kids to take care of their physical, emotional and mental well-being.
“If you don’t have those things,” he said, “how are you going to come to school and get an education?”
Where to turn for help: Community resources
The Baldwinsville Central School District has a list of community resources which students and their families can consult in case of mental illness, abuse or other crises. Always call 911 in an immediate emergency. To see the full list of resources, visit bville.org.
• 211 helps to connect people to services in Central and Northern New York
• TIP411: Text “TIPBVILLE” to 841-411 to send a non-emergency message to the Baldwinsville Police Department. Messages are encrypted so senders may remain anonymous.
• ACCESS provides assessment, planning and referrals for children and youth in Onondaga County with emotional and behavioral challenges. ACCESS is a multi-agency, cross-systems team with staff from Mental Health, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice. Call 463-1100.
• Baldwinsville Volunteer Center is home to the Christmas Bureau, Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets, Mentoring Program, HELP (Households Essentials for Living Pantry) and Vision Services Referral Program. Call 638-0251.
• Child Protective Services: Call 422-9701 or 1-800-342-3720.
• Contact Community Services, Inc., is a multifaceted organization that supports the social, emotional, behavioral and mental health of children, youth and adults. Call the office at 251-1400 or the crisis hotline at 251-0600. Visit contactsyracuse.org for more information.
• Comprehensive Psychological Emergency Program (CPEP) on the St. Joseph’s Hospital campus provides evaluation and treatment for individuals of all ages who are suffering from an acute mental health crisis. Call 448-6555 or visit sjhsyr.org/cpep.
• Hope for Bereaved provides support groups and one-on-one counseling services for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Call 475-9675 or visit hopeforbereaved.com.
• McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center coordinates medical care, law enforcement interviews and counseling services for victims of child abuse. Call 701-2985 or visit mcmahonryan.org.
• PEACE, Inc., is the community action agency in Onondaga County. PEACE offers programs such as emergency need funds, emergency food pantry, job literacy training and much more. Call 638-1051 or visit peace-caa.org.
• Syracuse Behavioral Health promotes recovery from the effects of substance abuse and mental health disorders. Call 471-0568 or visit sbh.org.
• Upstate Golisano Children’s Emergency Room is a 12-bed pediatric emergency department. Call 464-5565.
• Vera House prevents, responds to and partners to end domestic, sexual violence and other forms of abuse. Call 425-0818 or visit verahouse.org.
• Onondaga County Children’s Mental Health also has a list of resources to support children with mental illness and their families. Visit ongov.net/cfs/cmh.html.
