Iowa Middle School Principal Strives to Help Depressed Students

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No student with depression should struggle alone, according to Brian Carico, the principal at Johnston Middle School. And, were his vision of success to pan out, he believes fewer would.

After the death of both his father and son to suicide — the former in 1999, and the latter in 2012 — Carico made it his mission to help teachers recognize when students with mental illnesses need care and support. Earlier this month he lobbied for a bill before the Iowa Legislature that would require teachers to train in suicide prevention and trauma-informed care.   

In addition to seeking change at the state level, Carico also works to promote awareness at Johnston Middle School, as he describes here.

Q: In what ways have you helped others and yourself so far by tackling the issues of suicide prevention and mental health awareness training for teachers? 

A: Carico said Johnston Middle staff has been active in training regarding mental illness, ADHD, depression, and suicidal ideation. They use a system called Capturing Kids’ Hearts, which allows them to communicate and build relationships with students. This way, they have access to a safe, caring adult they can turn to, he said.

“We have made it a school-wide focus that is an expectation, but our staff has openly embraced the training and the success we have had with our students,” Carico said. He added this creates an “amazing atmosphere and culture” at Johnston Middle School.

Carico said he’s helped himself by generating knowledge for others. He feels he’s helped create awareness about the importance of school counseling, mental health therapy, and acceptance that these issues shouldn’t be hidden or ignored. He believes they should be handled “head-on, with empathy and compassion.”

“We need to have safe schools, and the way to create safe schools is not to ostracize students with difficulties, but to provide opportunities for success and the needed resources for their improvement,” Carico said.

Q: What is your vision of success? How do you hope to continue helping students and people who may be at risk of suicide? 

A: Carico said his vision of success is to see all teachers trained in mental health issues and suicide ideation. He added because of this training, he would hope to see students no longer suffering in silence due to fear of how people might respond, or because they don’t know how to respond themselves. He hopes that the educational community surrounding him will make mental health a priority.

“Trauma-informed care for our kids needs to begin in our schools, and we need to be coordinating with health professionals in recognizing the needs, and creating the resources to help those needs,” Carico said.

Q: What has been the most difficult moment of this challenge? What has been the most rewarding?

A: Carico said his most difficult moments have been thoughts of “why did I wait?” His father died by suicide on June 1, 1999. In response, Carico made a special effort to help kids. He said he hopes his passion has set a good example for others with similar vocations. After the death of his son, his “passive advocacy” grew into a more open, concerted effort, he said.

Carico said he struggles everyday with thoughts of “if this would have been in place earlier, how many families would not be labeled ‘suicide survivors?’”   

As for rewarding moments, Carico said he’s been glad to see staff at Johnston Middle School “continue to thrive” and respond to the loss of a student to suicide by examining their own practices, training, and empathy. He said these efforts help ensure students “are not suffering in silence.” 

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