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.
