Education Schools
In 2001, the Surgeon General of the United States released a report stating that 12% of American children under the age of 18 have a diagnosable mental illness.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in teenagers.
Every 9 seconds in America a student becomes a dropout.**
A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health found that 50% of adult cases of mental illness had signs and symptoms by age 14. Therefore, it is vitally important that we educate students and school staff to recognize mental illness so that those affected can get early treatment.
NAMI DuPage offers three programs for schools:
Ending the Silence
NAMI DuPage has developed a signature high school health class presentation called Ending The Silence. The program is typically presented in freshman/sophomore health classes during the mental health portion of the curriculum. This interactive program teaches the basic signs and symptoms of mental illnesses in teenagers, presents personal stories to reduce stigma, and provides many resource materials for students.
NAMI affiliates may purchase this program at endingthesilence.org
Parents and Teachers As Allies
This two-hour in-service program helps school professionals identify the early warning signs of early-onset mental illnesses in children and adolescents in schools. The program is also presented to Parent Groups as an educational tool to help bridge the gap between home and school and help families better advocate for their school age children. It focuses on the specific, age-related symptoms of mental illnesses in youth, how best to intervene, and shares the lived experiences of individuals with mental illnesses and families.
NAMI DuPage Overview
Brief overview for school staff of the services NAMI DuPage has to offer to their students and parents.
For more information, or to schedule a presentation please call Brenda Hilligoss, School Outreach Coordinator, at 630-752-0066.
WEBSITES, LINKS AND RELATED RESOURCES
Updated June 1, 2011
NAMI National Child and Adolescent Action Center http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=child_and_teen_support
DuPage County Regional Office of Education http://www.dupage.k12.il.us/
Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership http://www.icmhp.org/
ICMHP - Robin Cabral, Region 2 Coordinator, Family Leadership Initiative http://www.icmhp.org/initiatives/regionii.html
DuPage County Health Department: Child and Adolescent Services http://www.dupagehealth.org/child-and-adolescents-behavior-and-mental-health-services
Mental health Screening, Assessment, and Support Services (SASS) for Illinois Youth http://www2.illinois.gov/hfs/MedicalProvider/sass/Pages/default.aspx
Providers of Mental Health Screening, Assessment, and Support Services (SASS) http://www2.illinois.gov/hfs/MedicalProvider/sass/Pages/sassproviders.aspx
The Balanced Mind Foundation (Formally Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation) www.thebalancedmind.org
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry http://www.aacap.org
Parents Med Guide http://www.parentsmedguide.org
American Federation for Suicide Prevention “After a Suicide Toolkit for Schools”
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law www.bazelon.org
Online Support for Young Adults www.strengthofus.org
Strengthofus.org, developed by NAMI, offers a variety of resources on issues important to young adults, including healthy relationships, family and friend, independent living, campus life, employment, mental issues and much more.
Special Education Law www.wrightslaw.com
Statewide Resource help http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/
Find educational consultants, psychologists, educational diagnosticians, health care providers, academic therapists, tutors, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, coaches, advocates, and attorneys for children with disabilities on the Yellow Pages for Kids for your state. You will also find special education schools, learning centers, treatment programs, parent groups, respite care, community centers, grassroots organizations, and government programs for children with disabilities.”
SPECIAL GUIDES
Illinois State Board of Education Special Education Guide http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/html/parent_rights.htm
Illinois State Board of Education Record Keeper ISBE Student Records Keeper.pdf
These websites are compiled by NAMI DuPage as a tool for education about mental illnesses. While we try to gather the latest information, the internet is ever evolving and websites change. We appreciate your understanding if the listed web resources change or list out-of-date information. Thank you.