Carlsbad USD: Mental Health Resources - April 15, 2020

Press release from the Carlsbad Unified School District:

April 15, 2020

Carlsbad Unified families and staff,

I hope you and your family members are healthy, both physically and emotionally. We’ve now passed the one-month mark of school facility closures due to COVID-19, and in addition to keeping our community physically safe, it is important to make sure we are all mentally and emotionally healthy too.

At the bottom of this email I’ve included a number of links to useful resources for parents and families on the topic of mental health for young people. These will also be posted on our website.

You may have heard that Governor Newsom made some comments yesterday about the need for schools to implement physical distancing protocols after we’re allowed to return to school. Whether that is in the next month or in the next school year, please know that we will develop and share a plan with you in advance of classes resuming. We are currently working with the San Diego County Office of Education on the elements to be included in this plan.

As we continue in our current phase of Remote Online Learning, we’re developing a series of summary documents for families and students. We shared the first document with you, CUSD Remonte Online Learning Plan, on April 12. Today, we’re pleased to share the second document: Roles and Responsibilities in Remote Online Learning.

As always, all of our previous communications can be found on our website at https://cusd-ca.schoolloop.com/covid-19.

Below, you’ll find a number of mental and emotional health resources. I’d especially like to call your attention to the San Diego Access and Crisis Line (888-724-7240), which can provide support in crisis intervention, mental health referrals, alcohol and drug support services, and community resources.

Mental and Emotional Health - Resources for Families

• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (from the National Association of School Psychologists)
• Building Developmental Relationships During the COVID-19 Crisis (from the Search Institute)
• Real-time Resilience Strategies for Coping with Coronavirus (from the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience)
• Pediatricians on Balancing Screen Time, Sleep, and Family During Coronavirus (from Edutopia)
• Resources for Staying Mentally and Emotionally Healthy (from the San Diego County Office of Education)
• Resources for Staying Mentally and Physically Healthy While at Home (from Live Well San Diego, in partnership with SDCOE)
• San Diego Access and Crisis Line: Provides support in crisis intervention, mental health referrals, alcohol and drug support services, and community resources. Calls are confidential, free of charge, available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and offered in more than 150 languages. Please call 888-724-7240.

I hope you and your loved ones are well.

Sincerely, Dr. Ben Churchill Superintendent

This press release was produced by the Carlsbad Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.