September 10, 2019 (Brockville, ON) – Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) wants to highlight some of the steps students, staff and their families can take to take care of their mental health, and the resources available to them if they are in crisis.

“One of the best things to do as a young person is to tell a trusted adult at school or at home who can help arrange to get supports for you,” explains Dr. David Armstrong, Chief Psychologist with the UCDSB. Students that are struggling at school or at home can contact the Kids Help Phone by text, online chat or by calling the 1-800-668-6868, he adds.

Students and family members can go to the Student Well-Being portion of the UCDSB website to learn more about the resources available in their communities. In addition, ReachOutNow.ca and MindYourMind.ca are both valuable resources for youth who might be struggling or know someone who is.

“We want to normalize and destigmatize mental health and seeking supports,” says Armstrong. “Whether you’re in a crisis or if that crisis has past and you are just feeling blah, down, anxious, or nervous there are supports that can help within our community partners in our schools.”

To find out more, watch this short video with Dr. David Armstrong as he explains the resources available.