With mental health being a trending topic among teenagers and young adults, one local school district looks to address the issue with a new program.
In an announcement on its website, the Purchase Line School District looks to implement a teen Mental Health First Aid program, in partnership with the United Way of Indiana County. The program aims at teaching students in grades 10 through 12, or ages 15 to 18, how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends and peers.
As part of that announcement, a document was posted highlighting statistics for teens dealing with mental health issues. Additionally, it emphasizes that the program is not to help students diagnose mental health issues, but rather being a supportive peer, encouraging friends to seek help when needed, and knowing when it’s time to get someone involved.
District officials encourage parents to read the outline of the program – which we have embedded below – and submit any feedback to Director of Curriculum Jessica Lindsay at lindsayj@plsd.k12.pa.us.
