ATRIUM–Chaminade College Preparatory School considers the well-being of their students a top priority, and so they aimed at creating a school week dedicated to helping and informing students of everything they need to know to live out a happy and healthy life as a high school student.

Drugs, alcohol and depression are among many of our problems facing young people today. Organizations do their best to ensure Mental Health Awareness to teens around the country, and Chaminade is no exception.  They hold the Mental Health Awareness week roughly around the same time every year, and have representatives from multiple organizations come in and speak about the importance of a clean mind and healthy body. This year, Chaminade set up their stations in the atrium and students have the freedom to check them out. The stations have pamphlets which contain loads of information for anyone who may seek to check it out.

Chaminade has created a partnership with CHADS (Communities Healing Adolescent Depression and Suicide) Coalition for the unique Mental Health Awareness Week. They have developed a number of activities to educate the entire Chaminade Family about this critical issue.

The school made their plan for the week and it went as followed:

• Day 1 – Mental Health Presentation for Parents 6PM The Skip
• Day 2-3 – During academic labs, representatives from CHADS Coalition will give a presentation to students and will facilitate an initial screening.
• Day 4-5 – Counseling Department Staff will follow-up with students and parents identified by the screening process.

The school said in an online statement, “Early intervention is vital in preventing and mitigating the effects of mental illness. We are hopeful that Chaminade’s Mental Health Awareness Week will educate our students, faculty and parents on the warning signs of mental health issues as well as provide resources to those that might be at risk or may come in contact with someone at risk.”  They also added, “We are asking for your full support in these activities. Please do not hesitate to contact your son’s Counselor with any questions you may have.”

This week is critically important to Chaminade because of much going on with our generation today. Opioid and other drug abuse has risen over the last decade, as well as suicide and depression, so it’s important to keep the school community educated and aware that help is available at any time.