If you SEE something, SAY something.
Mental Health is a challenge so many people deal with, even in our own school. Having readily available resources 24/7 is essential and they are there for you because YOU MATTER.
“There are a lot of resources here at the school. We have Madison Cares [link at the bottom] which is a district wide program that has resources. Between Madison Cares and the school counselors. We have a lot of different resources in regards to things out in the community, crisis intervention teams, counselors, and other resources that way,” MHS school counselor Kevin Jones said.
If you need help, don’t be afraid to contact any teacher, administrator, or counselor; they are all there to listen. Madison cares a lot about each and every person in our school. We understand that mental health is a huge challenge for so many which is why we want to help as many as we can. There is more than just in-person resources available for you and anyone who is struggling.
“We also have a lot of online resources, like the Suicide Hotline [988]. The Suicide Hotline is a phone number that you can call, it’s completely anonymous and you can call at any time, any day. There would be someone there to talk to you, like a crisis intervention counselor,” Jones said.
The Suicide Hotline isn’t the only online resource we have thats is available to everyone. There is an entire page that is linked at the bottom with over 50 resources to help with mental health, addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and child abuse prevention. We want to help you because you matter.
But what if it isn’t you struggling? What if it’s a sibling, a friend, a co-worker, a student?
“We have a lot of students come in and say, ‘Hey can you call in my friend, but leave me out of this?’ We have a lot of different ways we can call a kid in and just check with them. Then through a roundabout way we check on how they’re doing socially/emotionally,” Jones said.
There are so many people around each individual that have someone who cares about them. It may seem like that, but some ways are shown by action. A big one for our students in the Madison School District is our teachers.
“We have a lot of teachers make referrals to students that are struggling, or they just notice that something’s off. Kind of the same situation, ‘If you see something, say something.’ Even if you bring it up to your English teacher, ‘Hey so-and-so has b
een sad lately and I know they’ve been going through a lot,’ and then that English teacher is going to turn around and come talk to a counselor or Madison Cares to help out that person. Next thing we know the person struggling is in our office and we see if anything is wrong. Sometimes they talk to us and sometimes they don’t, but either way we are trying to be proactive,” Jones said.
Please reach out if you are needing help, or see someone struggling who needs help. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Madison Cares Website https://www.msd321.com/page/madison-cares-department-page
Online Resources Available https://www.msd321.com/page/online-resources/
Suicide Hotline Number 988
