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Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action


October 12, 2023

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

PESA raises awareness of mental health and mobilizes efforts to support students

This past Tuesday was World Mental Health Day, and it serves as a reminder that mental health is an integral aspect of our overall well-being. One of the most significant barriers to mental health is the stigma that surrounds it, and that is why PESA continues to actively break down this barrier by initiating dialogues about mental health with students.


When a youth is diverted to PESA, they are immediately assigned a social work case manager who conducts a thorough assessment after their first initial meeting. The case managers themselves also undergo in-depth training including Motivational Interviewing, Risk Prevention, and Structural Family Therapy to be well equipped to support the youth and their families.


Leading the supervision of most of this work is PESA’s Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Amancay Ledezma. She shares, “This is how we continue the conversation of mental health: we help our social worker interns on the behavioral health team know what to look for. In order to do the interventions we train them for, they have to meet a client where they are at and understand their situations without judgment.” 


By putting the mental health of diverted youth at the forefront, PESA is able to examine the sequences of events leading up to the incident and then delve into that sequence to gain a comprehensive understanding. Ledezma states, “At PESA it’s especially crucial for us to destigmatize mental health because of the population we work with. If we look at a diverted youth with a lens that doesn't think of mental health as a problem, then our social worker interns wouldn’t be able to help them in the way they need help."


PESA also recognizes the importance of education in bringing awareness to mental health. Their dedicated team of social workers conduct compelling educational presentations on various mental health topics including suicidal awareness, coping skills, stress management, and anger management at school sites. These presentations lead to open conversations about mental well-being, create safe spaces for students to share their experiences, and equip them with the knowledge and tools to recognize signs of distress.


PESA is looking forward to continuing their commitment of fostering a supportive environment for staff members, students, and their families. 



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