The Public School System\u2019s Mental Health Team currently has 20 staff members, which means that roughly all positions within the team are filled, according to Walter Mendez, project manager for the team. <\/p>\n
In a guest appearance on KKMP radio last Thursday, Mendez said the CNMI\u2019s public schools each have at least one student counselor and that some schools are looking into bringing in one more counselor for students.<\/p>\n
On the topic of mental health awareness, community outreaches, and the many currently ongoing mental health programs in the CNMI, Mendez said the CNMI is in a \u201ctransformation period\u201d where mental health, mental illness, and other such topics are starting to be more widely accepted and understood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are in a transformation period, where we as a people and as a community are learning what mental health is, and what mental health is not. …As we start to build awareness and [reach out] to the community and everybody gets to understand what mental health is, it\u2019s going to be more commonly known amongst our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mendez would like to see pre-conceived notions and stigma on mental health and mental illness replaced with a willingness to understand one\u2019s situations and a willingness to seek help when needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t look at [mental illness] as \u2018Somebody\u2019s crazy.\u2019 That\u2019s not what it\u2019s about. It\u2019s about finding that balance between the struggles and the happy times, and figuring out [if you] can avail of your resources, can you find out if you need help, and [knowing if] you\u2019re willing to go get help, which is a challenge in and of itself,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Alongside Mendez were representatives of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and CHCC\u2019s Community Guidance Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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