Hart district to host parent forum on the importance of mental health

The William S. Hart Union High School District is slated this week to host parent forums via Zoom featuring a guest speaker from Henry Mayo Community Education on the topic of mental health.

The district’s Wellness Department will hold two forums, one on Tuesday in English and another on Thursday in Spanish, at 6:30 p.m. The guest speaker will discuss the important role mental health plays in sports and overall health.

“Mental health is more than just mental health, it also includes emotional health,” said Bob Jensen, governing board president of the Hart district. “Emotions need to be expressed. We need to share our emotions, but we also need to understand our emotions and how to control them appropriately.”

According to district officials, parents and guardians of Hart students received a message about the forum. In addition, the emails include information on how to access and join the forums.

Jensen said this will be a great opportunity for parents to learn more about mental health. He noted that in the past two to three years, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a greater need to address feelings of hopelessness, feelings of anxiety and depression, and to overall connect with others.

“We want them to know that there’s help, that we’re there for them, and that we can provide a lot for them,” Jensen said. “This is one of those things that we want to do to help them.”

The Hart district has a variety of mental health resources accessible to students and their families such as social workers, school counselors, its wellness centers and student care lines, and more.

These forums act as a conversation starter to equip parents with the knowledge and tools to discuss mental health with their children, according to Jensen. In doing so, students and parents can discover the many resources that are available to them if they need them to cope and resolve challenges.

“It’s important to be ahead of the game and be proactive,” Jensen said. “Certainly, if one is struggling, you’ve got to get the help, and there are so many great people out there who can help.”

For information about the Hart district’s student care lines, visit https://bit.ly/3rfhc5d.

If you’re in need of immediate mental-health-related assistance, dial the 988 crisis line or text 741741. For more information about mental health resources in the Santa Clarita Valley, visit bethedifferencescv.org.