Coping with Stress: Answers to Your Questions, a live call-in television program, will air on Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Cable Channel 34 on Thursday, October 17, from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The program is designed to address concerns in the wake of the recent shooting attacks and to assist both students and adults with strategies for coping with mental health issues.

Community members are invited to call with their questions during the live broadcast at 301-279-3234.

Guests will include school-based counselors, psychologists and pupil personnel workers, who will answer viewer questions, as well as questions from a studio audience of parents and students. Panelists also will include representatives from the Employee Assistance Program, the Montgomery County Crisis Center, and the Montgomery County Mental Health Association.

Topics are expected to include:

§ How students, families and employees are responding to the recent crisis.
§ What strategies are helping people cope with stress and anxiety.
§ How the team of school system counselors, psychologists and pupil personnel workers collaborate to support students and families.
§ Where people can go for additional assistance.

Panelists will answer as many calls as possible during the program. Professional mental health workers will be available to answer all calls that cannot be responded to on-air.