ARIZONA: Ending the Stigma: Programs Create Conversations about Mental Health in Arizona Schools

January 26, 2018

News Type:  Weekly Spark, Weekly Spark News
Speaker:  Arizona

Arizona Daily Sun

Arizona schools are trying to get their students talking about mental health. While the state does not have a mental health education requirement, some schools are implementing programs that aim to raise awareness of mental health issues. For example, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Ending the Silence program has been rolled out in several Tucson area school districts. The program is designed to change negative perceptions of mental illness by introducing middle and high school students to positive role models who have experienced mental health challenges. The NAMI Southern Arizona affiliate recently received a grant to evaluate the program and possibly expand it across the state. Ending the Silence presenter Lisa Cole hopes that describing her history of mental health issues might help encourage students to reach out for help. “The earlier a problem is addressed the more likely someone is to find the appropriate resources and get better,” she said. 

Spark Extra! Learn more about NAMI’s Ending the Silence program.