Lowndes County Public Schools seeks to help beak down barriers associated with the stigma of mental illness by creating public awareness through resource management. One of the remaining taboos in many communities of color is the stigma around mental illness. Whether it’s depression or anxiety (or, the worst-case scenario, suicide), there is a longstanding belief in these communities that such concerns are taboo, and their impact is the problem of “the other.” Though communities of color, because of socioeconomic challenges, may be at higher risk for poor mental health, this stigma contributes to a reluctance to recognize the need for the help of a physician or therapist. For many in the African American community, our story is one of perseverance and resilience. We must also change the narrative from a conversation about mental illness to a conversation about mental wellness. Mental health is, after all, more than depression, anxiety, or a bipolar disorder diagnosis. It is your overall emotional and mental wellbeing, including both positive and negative elements (National Council for Behavior Health - source).
Lowndes County Public Schools mental health services will use a Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in collaboration with school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, students, school nurses and outside agencies to provide a framework of interventions and supports designed to address social - emotional, behavioral and academic challenges that some students face while navigating their academic pursuits. LCPS also seeks to incorporate an Early Warning System (EWS) that will provide alerts for those in need though a technical program app installed on all student devices. We will also use the Second Step Curriculum to provide instruction on social and emotional learning, bully prevention and child abuse awareness.
Goals of LCPS Mental Health Services include:
Goal 1: Raise awareness of mental health issues in order to reduce stigma and promote the overall awareness of students, staff, and community.
Goal 2: Positively influence educational outcomes as they relate to mental health and social emotional learning of LCPS students and staff.
Goal 3: Narrow the gap between identified mental health needs of students and staff and service linkage by developing a comprehensive mental health delivery model.
Goal 4: Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the collaborations between the District and community partners.
District Collaborations/Partnerships:
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Residential Treatment Centers:
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Local and National Helplines:
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