Darlene Terriberry of Henderson, Nevada, lost her beloved granddaughter Angel in the fall of 2020. “We were so close in so many ways; I wish she could talk. “Today we would sit together,” Teriberi told CBS News. The graduate is one of 30 students in the Clark County School District who have died from suicide since the pandemic began. “I think it’s a pandemic, online schooling, you know, that isolation was probably a contributing factor,” Teriberi said. “I’m not saying that was the only factor.” Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control show that more than a third of high school students said they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent said they felt persistently sad or hopeless last year. “We need to make sure our educators and our schools have the resources they need to care for children regardless of their age,” said Sen. Jackie Rosen, D-Nevada. Senators Rosen and Lisa Murkovski, R-Alaska, have introduced a two-party law, the Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act, to provide federal funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service to public schools K to 12. Currently, the money is available only for colleges and universities. “Everyone who works at the school should be trained to recognize the signs of trouble for students who would be in their age group at that school,” Rosen said. If authorized, SAMHSA provides entertainment ding could be used to expand mental health services in primary schools from suicide prevention training to the use of telehealth to conduct screenings, as well as other specialized programs. “Often it is just a knowledge that there is a problem,” said Senator Murkovski. “If the child does not feel comfortable sharing this with a parent or other adult. If they don’t even know how to ask. “That was the experience of Claire Rainer from Eagle River in Alaska, who hid her pain from her family for about five years. “It was dark. It was really hard. It was difficult, but more than anything, there was confusion, “she explained. “I doubted my experience and at the time I was hurting myself.” Rainer, now 19, found a voice and a cure through the Anchorage-based organization “Advocating for Mental Health through Narrative” known as the MHATS. The youth-led group facilitates mental health conversations and helps participants share their stories of mental health struggles and recovery. “It is very cathartic; it’s very therapeutic to talk about your feelings and talk about what you’ve been through, “Rainer said. Now an advocate for the mental health of young people, Rainer testified before the Senate Health Committee about the need for greater federal support for mental health resources. She hopes the law proposed by Senators Murkowski and Rosen will help fund MHATS-like programs in schools across the country. “If one family, only one does not have to go through the pain and suffering that my family went through,” said Darlene Teriberi, who also stressed the need for urgent action on this issue. Senators Rosen and Murkovski say they hope to be able to vote on their law this year. “It has been too many years since we saw a really strong focus on mental health and behavioral health issues,” said Senator Murkovski of Congress’ new attempt to pass a mental health law. “Our children can’t wait,” said Senator Rosen. and friends at risk of suicide, self-harm. (https://ccsd.net/students/safevoice/) They also added weekends for a special hotline for students who need to talk to a counselor or social worker (702) 799-6632.
Darlene Terriberry of Henderson, Nevada, lost her beloved granddaughter Angel in the fall of 2020.
“We were so close in many ways; I wish she could talk. “Today we would sit together,” Teriberi told CBS News.
The high school student is one of 30 students in the Clark County School District who have died from suicide since the beginning of the pandemic.
“I think the pandemic, the online schooling, you know, that isolation probably contributed,” Teriberi said. “I’m not saying that was the only factor.”
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control show that more than a third of high school students said they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent said they felt constantly sad or hopeless over the past year.
“We need to make sure that our educators and our schools have the resources they need to care for children, regardless of their age,” said Senator Jackie Rosen, D-Nevada.
Senators Rosen and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced a two-party law, the Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act, to provide federal funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Authority to public schools K to 12. Currently, the money is available only for colleges and universities.
“Everyone who works at the school should be trained to recognize the signs of trouble for students who would be in their age group at that school,” Rosen said.
If approved, SAMHSA grant funding could be used to expand mental health services in primary schools from suicide prevention training to the use of telehealth for screening, as well as other specialized programs.
“Often it is just a knowledge that there is a problem,” said Senator Murkovski. “If the child does not feel comfortable sharing this with a parent or other adult. If they don’t even know how to ask. “
That was the experience of Claire Rhineer from Eagle River in Alaska, who hid her pain from her family for about five years.
“It was dark. It was really hard. It was difficult, but more than anything, there was confusion, “she explained. “I constantly doubted my experience and at that time I hurt myself.
Rhineer, now 19, has found a voice and healing through the Anchorage-based organization “Advocating for Mental Health through Narrative” known as the MHATS. The youth-led group facilitates mental health conversations and helps participants share their own stories of mental health struggles and recovery.
“It is very cathartic; “It’s very therapeutic to talk about your feelings and talk about what you’ve been through,” Rainer said.
Now an advocate for youth mental health herself, Rhineer testified before the Senate Health Committee about the need for greater federal support for mental health resources. She hopes the law proposed by Senators Murkowski and Rosen will help fund MHATS-like programs in schools across the country.
“If one family, only one does not have to go through the pain and suffering that my family went through,” said Darlene Teriberi, who also stressed the need for urgent action on this issue.
Senators Rosen and Murkovski say they hope their law will be voted on this year.
“It has been too many years since we saw a really strong focus on mental health and behavioral health,” said Senator Murkovski of Congress’s new effort to pass a law on mental health.
“Our children can’t wait,” said Senator Rosen.
The Clark County School District, for its part, has implemented an anonymous online system for reporting threats of school violence and friends who are at risk of suicide, self-harm. (https: //ccsd.net/students/safevoice/)
They also added weekends for a special hotline for students who need to talk to a counselor or social worker (702) 799-6632.