Arlington to Host Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Night

ARLINGTON, MA—Arlington will hold an event Thursday that aims to bring awareness to the issues of mental health and suicide.

The Arlington Youth Health & Safety Coalition,Arlington Public Schools and the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC) are hosting a “Mental Health Awareness Night” event. The event will features a screening of the documentary You Are Not Alone, as well as a panel discussion geared towards the relationship between mental health problems and the opioid epidemic.

“Depression and anxiety run rampant in teenagers nationally, and Arlington is no different,” said Andrea Razi, Arlington High School’s Intervention Coordinator and Social Worker in the announcement. “We try to reach as many students as we can in the schools every day through programs about substance abuse, depression, anxiety and suicide prevention which have all helped to bring these important issues to light.”

The event will be held on Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Lowe Auditorium at Arlington High School.

The members of the discussion panel are as follows, according to the announcement:

• Moderator Stephanie Leydon, reporter for WGBH
• Lauren Gablinske, Manager, Community Education and Outreach - ‎Samaritans Inc.
• Andrea Razi, LICSW, Intervention Coordinator/Social Worker - Arlington High School
• Nanci Siegel, Ottoson Middle School Guidance Counselor
• Linda Suzuki, LICSW, Therapist - Arlington Youth Counseling Center

According to a recent Arlington survey, serious thoughts of suicide were reported by 11 percent of high school students and 15 percent of middle school students.