BALDWIN PARK – Baldwin Park Unified is joining the nation in recognizing Sept. 6 through Sept. 12 as National Suicide Prevention Week to help erase stigmas associated with mental health and raise awareness about suicide prevention.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Clubs at Baldwin Park, North Park and Sierra Vista high schools are connecting with students during distance learning through social media and Google Classroom to teach the warning signs and to share stress-relieving tactics.

Baldwin Park Unified built into its distance learning model a designated time on Wednesdays for teachers and students to engage with social-emotional learning.

BPUSD school psychologists and counselors are checking in with students to provide academic, social and emotional support, and students are encouraged to reach out for additional guidance.

“These are difficult times for everyone but it is important that our District community know that BPUSD has numerous resources available to assist,” Director of Student Services Dr. William Avila said.

District families and staff have access to health and wellness support, including connections with local mental health agencies such as Care Solace, The Center for Integrated Family and Health Services, Foothill Family Services, Hillsides, Children’s Bureau and Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Outreach Program.

BPUSD is hosting a webinar provided by Foothill Family on Sept. 10 for caregivers who want to learn practical tips on how to manage family stress during COVID-19.

Baldwin Park Unified also launched its Virtual Wellness Center to offer additional support for students, families and staff challenged by the pandemic’s impacts.

The Virtual Wellness Center includes a virtual Calming Room, a place where individuals can access tools and strategies for processing emotions while building resiliency.

Sierra Vista High School’s NAMI Club tasked Dons with an interactive spirit week, including wearing yellow as a sign of suicide prevention and dressing up as a yellow character, such as SpongeBob or Pikachu.

NAMI Club advisers include Baldwin Park High School world language teacher Nicole Melamed, North Park Continuation High School psychologist Janni Martinez and Sierra Vista High School social science teacher Melanie Graf.

More information on mental wellness resources can be found on the District’s Mental Health page and Social Emotional Learning and Mental Wellness page.

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SVHS_NAMI: Sierra Vista High School’s NAMI Club recognized National Suicide Prevention Week with a spirit week on Instagram, asking students and teachers to take selfies in their yellow attire as a symbol of suicide prevention on Sept. 8.