Thanks for participation in wave - www.icareguam.com

PDN Article: May 18, 2013

The Children Mental Health Awareness Wave last Friday was a great success and is perhaps the largest gathering we have had since we have been doing this for the past nine years.

It's a wonderful feeling to know that awareness is gradually spreading throughout our island and support is building up. We thank all those who participated.

We were joined by other groups, such as the Office of the Attorney General's staff and the Random Women's Rally standing up against violence. These are all for a good cause, which we strongly support.

Regular supporters of the wave, such as the firemen from the nearby Tamuning Fire Station, several senators and system of care stakeholders, partook as well.

Among the participants, which we definitely want to recognize, are the many young people from all around the island. We had 28 students from the George Washington High School ninth-grade health class with their teacher, Wildred Buan, engaging them in the wave as a service-learning project. We had Patricia Bilbao with 24 students of her John F. Kennedy High School psychology class participating as well.

Both groups of enthusiastic, cheerful and energetic students came prepared with signs and posters they made at their school to display, and to encourage motorists along Marine Corps Drive to take note of their message by honking as a sign of support to the cause.

We applaud the leadership of Bilbao and Buan in involving their students in a service-learning project promoting mental health. This also goes out to teachers and students who participated in the "I Care for My Mental Health" artwork display. Encouraging positive mental health activities with young people helps break the stigma so more seek mental health services when needed.

Annie F.B.Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of I Famagu'on-ta, Child Adolescent Services Division at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

More needed for children's services - www.icareguam.org

PDN Article: May 11, 2013

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other three important mental health services which I failed to include in last week's article -- the New Beginnings program, Healing Hearts and the residential group homes, both for adults and adolescents.

If you haven't seen the artwork on "I care for my mental health" on display at the Agana Shopping Center and the Guam Premier Outlets by our school students, it's a must-see. You still have a chance to see it this week before it gets taken down May 19. Thank you to Agana Shopping Center and Guam Premier Outlets for supporting the work of our young people.

The students' artwork is truly awesome. We have many talented and positively motivated students who know what caring for their mental health requires. This kind of work put forth by our students must be nurtured and encouraged. Thank you to the participating schools and to the teachers who guided and supported the students.

Congratulation to the three school personnel recipients of this year's "System of Care Good Will Ambassador Award." This award recognizes an employee within the school environment, public or private, who practices the system of care core values and philosophy in working with the students. This would be one who exhibits a positive attitude, advocates for the child, demonstrates the importance of having an effective working relationship with the family and works well collaboratively with the other child-serving agencies continuously over a period of at least one school year to help the student excel and succeed.

This year's recipients are:

·  Frances Arriola, a truant officer at Inarajan Middle School;

·  Justine Elizabeth Santos, special education teacher; and

·  Julieta Anitok, teacher at Simon Sanchez High School.

These school personnel were nominated by the students and their parents and endorsed by the wrap team. Last year's recipients were:

·  Frank Perez, CRT from John F. Kennedy High School;

·  Leilani Guerrero, counselor at Astumbo Middle School; and

·  Vera Peredo-Elliott, counselor at PC Lujan Elementary School.

This year's Children's Mental Health Awareness Week ended yesterday with the annual awareness wave along Marine Corps Drive near the ITC building. Although Children's Mental Health Awareness Week is just one week out of the year, where extra effort is put forth in raising awareness to children's mental health needs, we need to continue to speak out and advocate for a comprehensive array of services be accessible to our young people.

Children's services need to have more wrap coordinators and family partners to serve the growing number of children and youths who need services, as well as psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors.

We also need to have more partnerships in our community to help address the needs of our children, as the government cannot do it alone. We have made progress in many areas, but there's a lot, lot more that needs to be done.

We thank staff, agency partners and families who continue to work together to make life better for our children.

Annie F.B.Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of I Famagu'on-ta, Child Adolescent Services Division at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.