Henrico County, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Henrico County Public School officials are making mental health a priority.
With a recent study showing that 22% of high schoolers in the U.S. seriously contemplated suicide in 2023, the school district has launched initiatives aimed at promoting mental health resource accessibility and awareness to all students and staff members.
At an event Wednesday night at Varina High School, county leaders spoke to families about ways to identify a mental health crisis and shared resources available to help students.
An estimated 20 million young people in America have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, according to federal health officials. There were documented spikes in cases of anxiety and depression among students following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event at Varina High School featured a presentation from a licensed professional highlighting some of the signs to look out for, questions to ask kids, and advice on how to support students who are struggling.
“It’s important we normalize talking about it,” said PTSA President Danielle Ransom. “So many people think it’s a bad thing or it's a stigma around it, and we want to bring a program that allows people to talk about it and normalize it and everyone has a different journey.”
Henrico County high schoolers have access to free virtual counseling services through Hazel Health, as well as through the “Henrico Cares” program. The latter aims to get more mental health professionals and social workers into schools. The school district has also launched a free program called “Care Solace,” which helps families find a therapist or service free of charge and helps them get appointments scheduled.
For more information on available resources, click here.
