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Chicago Public Schools holds annual mental health summit at Malcolm X College (Chicago, IL) — More than 200 students and staff from across Chicago Public Schools gathered at Malcolm X College today to break down the stigma around mental health through workshops, wellness activities, music, and more. CPS Chief Health Officer Dr. Sophia Adawi Akintunde served as the keynote speaker and participant along with other CPS team members. Saturday’s summit is the second annual event and marks an early start to Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
“The Mental Health Summit highlights our district’s commitment to the mental, social and emotional health of our students, staff and staff,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “Mental health supports and services are an important part of the continuum of health resources the district provides to remove barriers to learning.”
The Mental Health Summit, hosted by the district’s Office of Student Health, aims to support students in healing-centered, trauma-informed ways and break down the stigma surrounding mental health, especially as the district continues to help students reintegrate into society. The purpose is Pandemics and other traumas.
CPS has invested in additional staff, including counselors and social workers, to support the mental health and well-being of students. The district has increased its social worker workforce by more than 60 percent over the past six years, and last year the district won a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, with some of that grant going toward hiring more school social workers. It is planned to be used. Hiring and Retention.
The district has also made significant investments to expand its Behavioral Health Team (BHT). BHTs are school-based professionals who identify students experiencing trauma and provide comprehensive support from the school and external partners. By the end of this school year, his BHT will be installed in every school managed by CPS.
“Mental health is the district’s top priority,” said Dr. Adawi Akintunde. “The Mental Health Summit brings together students and school officials, including psychologists, counselors, and social workers, to strategize ways to improve mental health care in the district.”
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In October 2023, the district won a $415,000 grant from the state to improve mental health care for students post-pandemic. The district will work with Rush University’s Substance Abuse Center for Excellence to provide a portion of the funding for staff training and professional development on mental health and substance use, including opioid overdose prevention and Narcan administration. It is used for.
As of March 2024, CPS was one of the first school districts in the nation to have all 634 schools, including option, charter, and contract schools with the opioid reversal drug Narcan. As of April 1, the district, in collaboration with Rush University Medical Center, has trained 66 percent of its staff in overdose prevention and Narcan administration through the Safe Schools platform.
Students like Jasmine Fung, an 11th grade student at Lane Tech College Prep, participated in planning and presenting the summit. Mr. Fung gave a presentation on the theme of “Impostor Syndrome.”
“Impostor syndrome is an internal experience of self-doubt and believing that you are not as capable as others think you are,” Fong says. “Having overcome my own struggles with imposter syndrome, I want to support and empower my colleagues to have confidence in their abilities as well.”
Chicago Public Schools holds annual mental health summit at Malcolm X College
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