District 202 Parent Group Organizes Mental Health Program

PLAINFIELD, IL — A District 202 parent group is organizing a free program March 10 to share easy strategies to strengthen mental health and wellness for both students and their parents.

Veteran social workers Tami Curry and Jessica Mueller will lead the "Easy Button" program, with presentations starting at 6:30 p.m. at Plainfield Central High School, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive. The pair has a combined 20-plus years of professional experience with family and individual counseling and crisis intervention.

"Many students of all ages and their families are suffering incredible stress because of the pandemic and numerous other issues in the world right now," Tim Albores, District 202 Director for High School Student Services, said in a statement.

Attendees at the event, hosted by the Plainfield Parent Community Network, will learn:

• Effective, easy strategies to promote strong mental health
• Simple ideas for parent-child connection, interaction, and conversation
• Practical tips to help regulate stress and other strong emotions
• Ideas to create a skills "toolbox" to promote coping and resilience

"We want to do everything we can to give our parents and guardians tools to minimize stress for themselves and their kids, so that our students have every chance for success in school," said Albores, who helped form PPCN in 2016.

Doors for the event will open and community resources will be available starting at 6 p.m. Attendees should park on the north side of the building and enter through door G.