Maricopa schools prioritize mental health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and schools across Maricopa Unified School District are developing plans to engage students and families in mental-health related activities.

At a regular Board meeting on April 26, Kendra Byrd gave a summary of Project AWARE, a comprehensive five-year grant aimed at advancing wellness and resiliency in education.

Currently in its second year, AWARE organizers are working to build a district-wide mental health system that includes mental health training, screenings, referrals, outreach and engagement.

“Schools will be developing a plan to engage students and families in mental health related activities to promote awareness,” Byrd said.

In the last two months, Maricopa schools have held various events and activities across the district.

Butterfield Elementary hosted a parent night in March to discuss the dangers of social media, apps and video games and how parents can put safeguards in place.

Northern Lights sponsored another parent night on suicide awareness in April. Licensed therapists provided information on how to talk to your child about suicide and signs that your child might be struggling.

And Desert Sunrise High School even spent time with kittens and puppies to encourage ‘paws-itive’ coping skills.

To increase awareness about the dangers of fentanyl use, Project AWARE partnered with the Be Awesome Youth Coalition for a month of Taco Tuesday’s.

Parents and students met at Copper Sky each Tuesday for a student presentation and a facilitated discussion about drug use.

Coming up, on May 11, the district will host an event with Oasis Behavioral Health aimed to promote awareness and discuss signs to look for over the summer.

Moving forward, Byrd proposed school-level AWARE teams meet monthly, review data and develop initiatives with other principals and staff across the district.

“We will continue to offer additional training to our staff, students & families in the future,” Bird said.