Mental Health Resources Shared with Families

The following message was sent to Forest Hills School District families on Friday, October 6, 2023 to provide suicide prevention and mental health resources.

Forest Hills Families,

We know this has been a difficult week for many of our students, as well as staff and community members. We feel it is important to provide additional resources and information to all Forest Hills families, so that we can work together to support students and find ways to help them cope with what they may be feeling right now.

Below you will find resources related to suicide prevention, as well as mental health and crisis resources that have been shared in earlier messages this week. It is so important that we take a moment to check in with each other during times like this. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of resources, but we hope this information will be helpful to you and your family now and in the future.

Forest Hills School District partners with MindPeace, an organization that offers information about a variety of suicide prevention and crisis support resources on this webpage under the “Crisis Support” and “General Resources” sections. The National Association of School Psychologists has a webpage titled “Preventing Youth Suicide: Tips for Parents & Educators.” Here you can find information about suicide risk factors and warning signs, as well as tips on how to appropriately respond when you may have concerns that a student or child is considering suicide.

Anyone who is struggling can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This resources is available 24/7 for anyone who is in emotional distress or experiencing suicidal crisis.

Our student population, like every school community across the state and nation, faces the challenges of navigating through the years of adolescence. Stress, anxiety, depression and suicide are issues that face teenagers and young people today.

Forest Hills School District prioritizes the health and safety of all students, including their mental health and wellness. Our teachers and staff undergo regular training to be aware of mental health challenges for students and provide necessary support, guidance or referral to resources. FHSD utilizes evidence-based training approaches to guide its support to mental health and maintains strong partnerships with local experts and accredited mental health agencies to meet the needs of our students. The district has several staff members qualified to train others in QPR suicide prevention training, which is regularly offered to all teachers, coaches and staff members. The district also offers QPR training for community members at most Parent Academy nights, including the next event which is scheduled for October 12.

FHSD partners with Child Focus to offer mental health counseling services to all students on a referral basis. Child Focus’ mental health programs are certified by Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (OMHAS) and accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The private, non-profit 501(c)(3) agency has more than 40 years of experience serving children in southwest Ohio and is considered a leader in the industries of early childhood and behavioral health. You can learn more about Child Focus here.

It is critical that we work together to support students and each other during this difficult time. I know our community will do everything we can to lift one another up. Please take a moment to review the additional resources listed below and I encourage you to check in with your child to see how they are doing at this time.

Sincerely,

Larry R. Hook
Superintendent

EMERGENCY AND SUPPORT RESOURCES

• If you, your student, or anyone else you know is in a life-threatening health crisis or emergency, call 911.
• If you, your student, or anyone else you know is in emotional distress or experiencing suicidal crisis, call or text 988, available 24/7.
• If you have concerns about threats to student safety, we urge you to call or text the Safer Ohio School Tip Line at 844-SaferOH. This line is staffed 24/7.
• If you are seeking additional resources, we encourage you to start at the links below:
  
  • FHSD Family Resource List
  • MindPeace
    
    • MindPeace works together with community partners to continue the development and implementation of a seamless system of mental health support for children and adolescents, with a focus on school-based, stakeholder-selected partnerships.

In addition to those resources above, if your student is experiencing a non-life threatening mental health crisis and you need direction on next steps to stay safe, we urge you to call the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The PIRC line is (513) 636-4124. This line is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

ADDITIONAL GRIEF RESOURCES

• “How to Help a Grieving Child” from Fernside Center for Grieving Children, (513) 246-9140
  
  • Fernside provides grief support services, outreach and education to the community and families. An affiliate of Hospice of Cincinnati, Fernside services complement Hospice of Cincinnati's comprehensive bereavement program by addressing the unique needs of children.
• Companions on a Journey Grief Support, Inc., (513) 870-9108
  
  • Sheila Munafo-Kanoza, Founder and Executive Director
  • Companions on a Journey Grief Support (COJ) is open to anyone who grieves the death of a loved one. COJ provides over 35 grief specific support groups assisting every type of loss including.
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, (513) 636-0069
  
  • The Bereavement Services department of Cincinnati Children's provides bereavement support to families who experience the death of a child or young adult. Bereavement services are provided through StarShine Hospice, our pediatric hospice program, integrated into the Palliative Care Team and part of the overall services provided throughout the medical center.