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Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

November 8 - 13

All Community Members Invited to Join Virtually

MCPS and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association (MCSPA) are hosting a free virtual event in November to give youth and families the opportunity to hear from mental health experts on issues that are important to them. This weeklong expo features daily themes, dynamic speakers and informational videos, as well as three live events: a Waymaking Special on Student Mental Health, a Careers in Mental Health information session, and a Resource Fair and Q&A session on Saturday, November 13. Sessions are available in multiple languages.

Earn Student Service Learning (SSL) Hours

students Students may earn up to 11 SSL hours for viewing videos, attending virtual workshops, and participating in follow-up advocacy action during the 2021 MCPS Mental Health Awareness Week:

Asynchronously, students may earn up to 5 SSL hours for viewing videos tagged as SSL and participating in advocacy action throughout the week. More

  • AFTER viewing up to five (5) sessions throughout the week, students will need to complete the SSL reflection form available at https://bit.ly/MHAW2021SSL. Students must be logged into their MCPS Google account to access the form.
  • This SSL reflection form will open on Monday, November 8, 2021, and must be fully completed by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 19, 2021, in order to be eligible for SSL hours.
  • Students will earn 1 SSL hour for each session viewed (maximum of 5 SSL hours) and completion of this advocacy exercise.
  • Students, please complete the SSL reflection form AFTER you have viewed all sessions you are interested in (maximum of 5 sessions), and please make sure your responses reflect thoughtful insight into the material presented and accurate and thorough coverage of the content.

Students may also earn an additional 2 SSL hours for attending each of the following live events and participating in advocacy action (up to 6 hours total for all three events -- information regarding the SSL reflection form for each of these events will be provided at the conclusion of each event):

  • LIVE: Waymaking Special on Student Mental Health - Tuesday, October 9, 2021, 7 pm - 8:30 pm
  • LIVE: Careers in Mental Health Info Session - Thursday, October 11, 2021, 6:30 pm - 8 pm
  • LIVE: Virtual Mental Health Resource Fair - Saturday, November 13, 12 noon - 1:30 pm

Help is Available

If you are in need of mental health assistance:

Montgomery County Hotline:

301-738-2255 (voice 24/7; text/chat from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, daily)

Maryland SafeSchools Tipline:

833-632-7233 (24/7)

How to Join

  1. 1
    Plan in Advance

    Review the schedule of video titles and presenters to find topics that interest you.

    View Schedule

  2. 2
    Watch the Videos

    Come back to this web page on the day the video is scheduled to appear. Once a video is posted, it will remain on the site.

    Watch Videos

  3. 3
    Join Live Events

    Join the live events on YouTube.

    Tues. (7 - 8:30 PM) Waymaking Special with Students: YouTube
    Thurs. (6:30 pm - 8 pm) - Careers in Mental Health Info. Session: YouTube
    Sat. (12 - 1:30 pm) - Mental Health Resource Fair and Q&A Session: YouTube

Watch Videos

Monday

Mental Health and Personal Safety

Featured Presentations

Social Media Safety for 2021
Kimberly Fegadel
School Psychologist
Coping and Living with Substance Use Disorder (English)
Veronica Palleres
Parent Community Coordinator
Coping and Living with Substance Use Disorder (Spanish)
Veronica Palleres
Parent Community Coordinator
Dating Violence SSL
Janice Campbell & Melinda Garzon
School Psychologists
Minimizing Meltdowns
Linda Marcoux
School Psychologist

Other Video Topics

SOS: Signs of Suicide Parent Training (in 7 languages)
Signs of Suicide
Anti-Vaping Symposium
SUPRE Program
Well-Being Matters - Domestic Violence

Tuesday

Mental Health and Relationship Building

tuesday balloon

Live: Waymaking Special with Students SSL

This event will highlight student perceptions and concerns regarding their own mental health. Videos from members of the Our Minds Matters club with be interspersed with a panel of student leaders discussing their thoughts and experiences related to mental health, as well as answering questions posed by the audience.

Watch via YouTube

Featured Presentations

Social Support Networks: The 4 Supports Everyone Needs SSL
Amanda Hearn
School Psychologist
How to Have a Respectful Disagreement on Any Topic SSL
Courtney Freeman
School Counselor
How to Talk to Parents about Tough Topics SSL
Susan Astary
School Psychologist
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Friendships SSL
Kim Medina & Helaine Larach
School Psychologists
Social Skills for Younger Children
Kevin Riley
School Psychologist

Other Video Topics

How to Talk So Your Teens Will Listen (English)
How to Talk So Your Teens Will Listen (Chinese)
Grief and Loss
Mental Health in Kids Series: Rachel & Mikihlynne SSL
Mental Health in Kids Series: Maddox & Mila SSL
Mental Health in Kids Series: Spencer & Byron SSL
Mental Health in Communities of Faith SSL
Well-Being Matters - Communication in Relationships

Wednesday

Mental Health and Physical Activity

Featured Presentations

It's Time to Catch Some ZZZ's: Developing Healthy Sleep Habits to Improve Mental Health SSL
Jeanne McCormack & Ashley Ryan
School Psychologists
Self-Care Isn't Selfish: Developing a Self-Care Plan SSL
Jeanne McCormack & Laura Hammond
School Psychologists
The Impact of Exercise and Routine on Mental Health SSL
Kim Medina & Helaine Larach
School Psychologists
Strategies for Families During and After COVID-19 (Spanish)
Patricia Sicora & Ana Groene
School Psychologists

Other Video Topics

Well-Being Matters - Exercise
Well-Being Matters - Sleep Better
Well-Being Matters - Ergonomics

Thursday

Mental Health as a Future Career

thursday balloon

Live: Careers in Mental Health Information Session SSL

As part of the MCPS Mental Health Awareness Week, this live information session will feature mental health professionals talking about their careers. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panelists via the Live YouTube Chat. The show goes live on Thursday, November 11th from 6:30 - 8:00pm.

Watch via YouTube

Other Video Topics

The Role of School Psychologists SSL
The Role of School Counselors SSL
The Role of Pupil Personnel Workers (PPW) SSL
The Role of Parent Community Coordinators (PCC) SSL
The Role of the ESOL Transition Counselors (ETC) SSL

Friday

Mental Health and Resiliency

Featured Presentations

Four Types of Stress and How to Manage Them SSL
Amanda Hearn
School Psychologist
Characteristics for Emotional Intelligence
Denine Gudnitz
Pupil Personnel Worker
Building Your Mindfulness Self-Care Toolbox SSL
Maureen Ponce & Mark Mohan
School Counselors
Asian American Identity and Mental Health SSL
Nayoung Kim, Sharon Huang & Jia Liu-Trofimovsky
School Psychologists
Thinking about Our Thoughts: Vocabulary for Students Pursuing ALO and Their Caregivers
Megan Vaganek (School Psychologist) & Janice Eisenberg (School Counselor)
Developing Routines, Strategies, and Activities to Improve Learning (Spanish)
Alexa Nunez , Ana Groene, Patricia Sicora & Kenneth Mills
School Psychologists
Nature and Us SSL
Courtney Freeman
School Counselor
LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
Lindsey Vernon
School Counselor
Supporting Nonbinary and Transgender Students at Home & School
Katherine Oyson and Laura Liebling
School Psychologists
Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder
Annette Harris
Social Worker
ADHD Signs and Symptoms
Annette Harris
Social Worker

Saturday

Mental Health and the Community

thursday balloon

Live: Mental Health Resource Fair and Q&A Session SSL

The Mental Health Resource Fair is the final event of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021! Learn about mental health resources and supports available from MCPS, county agencies and non-profits. Ask questions to these experts during the Q&A Session. Co-sponsored by MCSPA.

Watch via YouTube

Watch videos from last year's virtual Mental Health Awareness Week event, which took place October 26-31, 2020.
2020 Mental Health Awareness Week

Daily Schedule

Each day of mental health week will feature a different mental health theme with videos based on that theme. Videos will be available on the morning of the day they are scheduled. Daily themes and video topics are listed below.

Mental Health and Personal Safety

Featured Presentations

Presenter

11/8/21

Social Media Safety for 2021
Kimberly Fegadel
School Psychologist

Presenter

11/8/21

Coping and Living with Substance Use Disorder
Veronica Palleres
Parent Community Coordinator

Presenter

11/8/21

Coping and Living with Substance Use Disorder (Spanish)
Veronica Palleres
Parent Community Coordinator

Presenter

11/8/21

Dating Violence SSL
Janice Campbell and Melinda Garzon
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/8/21

Minimizing Meltdowns
Linda Marcoux
School Psychologist

Other Video Topics

Mental Health and Relationship Building
LIVE: Waymaking Special with Students SSL

Time: 7 - 8:30 PM
How to Join: YouTube

This event will highlight student perceptions and concerns regarding their own mental health. Videos from members of the Our Minds Matters club with be interspersed with a panel of student leaders discussing their thoughts and experiences related to mental health, as well as answering questions posed by the audience.

Featured Presentations

Presenter

11/9/21

Social Support Networks: The 4 Supports Everyone Needs SSL
Amanda Hearn
School Psychologist

Presenter

11/9/21

How to Have a Respectful Disagreement on Any Topic SSL
Courtney Freeman
School Counselor

Presenter

11/9/21

How to Talk to Parents about Tough Topics SSL
Susan Astary
School Psychologist

Presenter

11/9/21

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Friendships SSL
Kim Medina and Helaine Larach
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/9/21

Social Skills for Younger Children
Kevin Riley
School Psychologist

Other Video Topics

wednesday
Mental Health and Physical Activity

Featured Presentations

Presenter

11/10/21

It's Time to Catch Some ZZZ's: Developing Healthy Sleep Habits to Improve Mental Health SSL
Jeanne McCormack and Ashley Ryan
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/10/21

Self-Care Isn't Selfish: Developing a Self-Care Plan SSL
Jeanne McCormack and Laura Hammond
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/10/21

The Impact of Exercise and Routine on Mental Health SSL
Kim Medina and Helaine Larach
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/10/21

Strategies for Families During and After COVID-19 (Spanish)
Patricia Sicora and Ana Groene
School Psychologists

Other Video Topics

thursday
Mental Health as a Future Career
LIVE: Careers in Mental Health Information Session SSL

Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM
How to Join: YouTube

This event will highlight various mental health professions students may be interested in pursuing as a career. There will be panel of mental health professionals available to answer questions about their professions and what it takes to become someone in their field.

Other Video Topics

friday
Mental Health and Resiliency

Featured Presentations

Presenter

11/12/21

Four Types of Stress and How to Manage Them SSL
Amanda Hearn
School Psychologist

Presenter

11/12/21

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence
Denine Gudnitz
Pupil Personnel Worker

Presenter

11/12/21

Building Your Mindfulness Self-Care Toolbox SSL
Maureen Ponce and Mark Mohan
School Counselors

Presenter

11/12/21

Asian American Identity and Mental Health SSL
Nayoung Kim, Sharon Huang and Jia Liu-Trofimovsky
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/12/21

Thinking about Our Thoughts: Vocabulary for Students Pursuing ALO and Their Caregivers
Megan Vaganek, school Psychologist and Janice Eisenberg, School Counselor

Presenter

11/12/21

Developing Routines, Strategies, and Activities to Improve Learning (Spanish)
Alexa Nunez, Ana Groene, Patricia Sicora, and Kenneth Mills
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/12/21

Nature and Us SSL
Courtney Freeman
School Counselor

Presenter

11/12/21

LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
Lindsey Vernon
School Counselor

Presenter

11/12/21

Supporting Nonbinary and Transgender Students at Home & School
Katherine Oyson and Laura Liebling
School Psychologists

Presenter

11/12/21

Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder
Annette Harris
Social Worker

Presenter

11/12/21

ADHD Signs and Symptoms
Annette Harris
Social Worker

Virtual Mental Health Resource Fair
and Q&A Session SSL

Saturday, November 13 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Theme: Mental Health and the Community

How to Join Saturday's Live Virtual Events

The Mental Health Resource Fair is the final event of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021! Learn about mental health resources and supports available from MCPS, county agencies and non-profits. Ask questions to these experts during the Q&A Session. Co-sponsored by MCSPA.

Watch via YouTube