In a world full of stressors, mental health is paramount and just as important as physical health because it greatly impacts quality of life. However, while mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are relatively common, many people are unable to afford or otherwise access treatment and therapy for their mental health issues. Luckily, MHS has many free mental health resources for students, and The Union believes that these efforts made to support student mental health are commendable.
Notably, students are able to access counseling sessions for free because MUSD pays for on-site therapists from CASSY (Counseling and Support Services for Youth), a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health services to youth in the Bay Area.
CASSY therapists provide counseling, are trained in crisis intervention, perform risk assessments, and also create presentations for the community about raising healthy adolescents. A student can meet with his or her guidance counselor and ask for a referral to a CASSY therapist. In addition to the mental health presentations and webinars organized by CASSY therapists, school psychologists have also uploaded useful mental health resources on the MUSD website.
CASSY therapy is incredibly accessible. Making an appointment with a guidance counselor takes just one minute, and it can be done online on the MHS counseling website. In addition, the ability to request a referral to CASSY therapy makes sure students are not forced to disclose their mental health concerns to multiple staff members. When school is in-person, having free CASSY therapists on campus eliminates transportation and financial barriers, making it much easier for students to attend counseling sessions and receive the help they need.
Other gestures and efforts to improve mental health are also beneficial to the MHS community. In November 2020, CASSY and the City of Milpitas hosted town halls to help teenagers and parents cope with stress and anxiety. In addition to holding multiple online webinars, CASSY also recorded podcast episodes to help students navigate their mental health struggles during the pandemic. These online events and episodes were shared with MHS students.
In May 2020, ASB organized an MHS Mental Health Q&A to ask MUSD counselors and teachers student-submitted questions about mental health. They addressed questions such as “Is going on medication for mental issues worth the battle (relying on a prescribed drug)?” and “How do you know if you have depression and/or anxiety, and not just ‘feeling a little sad’ or ‘being a little nervous’?”
MHS also promoted the use of a mental health app for teenagers called Atlas Co. The app includes a personal side and a social side. The personal side suggests daily routines and activities such as listening to a podcast or reflecting on the day. Podcast episodes and journal prompts cover topics such as dealing with stress, navigating family trauma, or experiencing heartbreak. The social side allows students to share fun moments with a maximum of 25 friends, hoping to reform social media by establishing more intimate connections.
Although the town halls, webinars, podcast episodes, and app are not a substitute for professional counseling, the fact that these mental health resources are so abundant and well-advertised helps create a school culture that values mental health and destigmatizes mental health struggles. Of course, the free and accessible counseling provided for students is also vital to ensuring the mental health of students. If you are struggling or even just unsure if you have a mental health condition, please take advantage of MHS’s plentiful mental health resources.