When we are dealing with issues of mental health — those of ourselves or those of loved ones — connections are precious. Resources including empathetic advice and mindful guidance offered with an intent to help can literally be a lifesaver.
Here in Bartholomew County, the Mental Health Matters Initiative is making those kinds of helping connections while also removing the stigma that for too long has been a harmful barrier to care.
A small but meaningful step recently gave local parents new access to a helpful resource that now is available at their fingertips.
Supported by a $90,000 grant from Columbus Regional Health Foundation announced last week, parents now have access to free online mental health services provided through parentguidance.org.
Visit this website and you will find this simple, straightforward question on the home page: “Are you worried about your child?” Alongside are links to online courses, parental guidance, an “ask the therapist” section and more.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Chad Phillips said the school corporation is administering the grant, The Republic’s Brad Davis reported.
“This is a countywide grant that allows any child and parent to access these resources even if they’re not a BCSC family — so a home-school family or private school family could access those resources,” Phillips said before a vote acknowledging receipt of the grant during a recent school board meeting.
Not every parent will need this resource, but some who may not need it today very well might in the future. Regardless, the advice offered on the site can help any parent feel better-equipped to navigate common challenges that arise in the course of their child’s development.
Online courses on parentguidance.org cover such topics as anxiety and depression, bullying, grief and loss, suicide prevention, technology and more.
“The platform also has a parent coaching program where participants will set customized road maps for parenting goals, take assessments to track progress and meet with a coach bi-weekly,” Davis reported.
Resources such as these are needed locally. According to Mental Health Matters Bartholomew County Initiative, a 2021 survey found that 22.5% of local children age 5-17 experience “fair” or “poor” mental health. That’s roughly four times the national average of 5.7%.
Adults locally also experience “fair” or “poor” mental health well above the national average — 24.4% compared to 13.4% across the U.S.
Clearly, we have our work cut out for us. The good news is, the Mental Health Matters Initiative is making available resources that can help parents help their kids. It’s up to us to use them and to spread the word.
In the interest of eliminating the stigma lingering around issues of mental health, we encourage all local parents to spend some time on parentalguidance.org. It’s there to help, it’s free, and it requires no obligation.
We also encourage everyone in our community to learn how the Mental Health Matters Bartholomew County Initiative is helping people by visiting mhmbc.org. A multitude of resources from online mental health assessments to links to trusted professional services provide valuable connections for our peace of mind.
