PS 527 MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE
Our Mental Health Committee was formed in 2016 after the launch of the Thrive NYC initiative, which is addressing and destigmatizing mental illness. We meet several times a year to discuss how we can incorporate mental wellness in our classrooms, and to plan the content of this newsletter.
MISSION STATEMENT
PS 527 is dedicated to providing support for the mental health needs of our school community by:
Ending the stigma associated with mental health issues by fostering a culture of knowledge and acceptance.
Maintaining an inclusive culture through:
Daily bucket filling reminders (aligned to the book, “How Full is Your Bucket?”, by Tom Rath).
Implementing the PS 527 Monthly Values.
Promoting respect for others.
Teaching healthy coping mechanisms and problem-solving strategies in Social Skills class.
Promoting mindfulness sharing of best practices in the classroom.
Encouraging empathy and understanding.
Using the Mood Meter to increase emotional intelligence and develop mental health vocabulary.
Providing resources to parents and staff about mental health organizations.
THE MARIGOLD: PS 527 MENTAL WELLNESS QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Click below to read …
MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
NYC Well Hotline
NYC Well is your connection to free, confidential mental health support. Speak to a counselor via phone, text or chat and get access to mental health and substance misuse services, in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365.
Talk: 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355)
Text: Text WELL to 65173
Click to Chat
Child Mind Institute
An independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.
NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI Helpline: 212-684-3264
helpline@naminyc.org
ARTICLES AND HELPFUL RESOURCES
In fall of 2016, NPR covered a series on mental health in schools
Mood Meter App
Anxiety in Kids
7 fun ways to teach your kids mindfulness
Mind Yeti offers short mindfulness videos for kids. Several videos are accessible with a free membership.
Mindshift explores the future of learning in all its dimensions. Mindshift examines how learning is being impacted by: technology, discoveries about how the brain works, poverty and inequities, social and emotional practices, assessments, digital games, design thinking and music, among many other topics.
Mental Health First Aid trainings provide proven practices that will help you recognize the early signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance misuse. You will learn how to listen without judgement, and respond to and help someone in distress until they can get the professional care they may need. The free eight-hour training is available for all New Yorkers as part of the City’s ThriveNYC Initiative.
THE MARIGOLD MENTAL HEALTH LIBRARY
Understanding the Way I Feel: 30 Books About Managing Emotions
We have a designated shelf in our school library with a growing collection of books with diverse characters related to feelings, social skills, illness, divorce, death, change, etc. If you have recommendations for great books that you think should be included in our Mental Health Library, please let us know at Marigold@ps527.org.
MOOD METER
The Mood Meter is a tool used to plot feelings and develop emotional intelligence. For more information or to learn about the Mood Meter App, please visit their website.
You can also learn more in this parenting article about using the Mood Meter app.