PYLUSD Newsletter | Making Mental Health Matter!

SEPTEMBER 2018

Mental health policy & why it matters

With the increased demand for mental health services amongst our students, PYLUSD has decided to update
its mental health policy, and we need your help!

It is our goal to create a new mental health policy that “reflects the goals and ethos of the school community”
(Fertman, Delgado, & Tarasevich, 2014, p. 64). Whether you have a child or neighbor in our district or you
work in a local community business, we are hoping to represent the values of the entire community.

What are the advantages in having What does an effective mental

an effective mental health policy? health policy typically include?

- It supports an increase in mental health- - A mental health policy should discuss

related resources that are in high demand topics and problems including:
o Suicide
- It establishes effective prevention o Threats
programs to identify students who may o Harassment
be at risk for mental health issues o Bullying
- It “create[s] an enviornment that fosters o Violent behavior
safety and success for all students” o Crisis response
(Fertman et al., 2014, p. 66) o Tobacco
o Substance abuse
- It allows the schools to increase
collaboartion with and involvment from
members of the entire community (Fertman et al., 2014, pp. 65 & 67)

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the

compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King
 Effective tools to:
Collect information on youth
health-risk and protective behaviors Assess school community capacity

- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
(YRBSS): monitors health risk behaviors
that contirbue to causes of death, disability,
and social problems
- Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths
(CANS): allows for in-depth assessment to
guide individualized intervention
- Communities That Care (CTC): addresses
and prevents the most pressing risk factors
facing our youth
- School Health Index (SHI): allows us to
identify the strengths and weakenesses of
our current health and safety policies
- The Guide to Community Preventive
Services: Improving Adolescent Health:
includes suggestions to guide and support
community interventions and services
- State School Health Policy Database:
contains descriptions of laws and
regulations pertaining to school policy

(Fertman et al., 2014, pp. 72-75) (Fertman et al., 2014, pp. 75-79)

Current policies in place to protect your

children’s education and health information

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is the current policy that grants
parents the right to access and edit their children’s school records.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Acountability Act) is the policty that regulates
with whom your healthcare provider can share infromation with.

For more infomration on how you can help us create a safer, healthier school environment
and update the PYLUSD mental health policy, please contact Carlyn Morones.
Website: Contact: Email:
www.pylusd.org 215-555-0134 carlyn@pylusd.org