Archdiocese prioritizes students’ mental health

Cepeda said her son was becoming more rather than less dependent on them. She described how if she wasn’t waiting to pick him up after school, he would cry and become increasingly anxious.

“They were very difficult times,” Cepeda said. 

Thanks to the counselors, workshops and classes available to them through the school, Cepeda said they were able to get the help and support they needed. 

“It was (important) for our son to be able to have someone who listened to him and who taught him little by little to trust himself and to be able to overcome his fears and anxiety and manage his emotions,” Cepeda said.

According to Benita Gonzales, who oversees the mental health and welfare of Archdiocesan school students and programming for school nurses and counselors as the director of student support services in the Catholic Schools Office, an increasing number of school children nationwide are experiencing depression, sadness, hopelessness and anxiety, and Archdiocesan students reflect that trend. 

Gonzales attributed this trend to a number of reasons — social media, technology, increased awareness — though it remains a complex problem.

“We are starting to see that our children need a lot of strategies to cope with trends, such as social media,” Gonzales said. “These are hard feelings, and children are not sure what to do with them.” 

In addition to developing its own robust mental health programming and combining Catholic teachings with evidenced-based research, Gonzales said the Archdiocese is bringing in more outside agencies to meet the growing need for help from students and their families. 

The Comprehensive Developmental Guidance program provides an age-appropriate blueprint for schools. The early grades’ focus is on building a foundation on which to develop relationships with Jesus, peers and family. For grades second to fifth, the focus is on self-regulation, physical growth, friends and sharing. Middle school is about critical thinking skills, making responsible decisions, building relationships and understanding the preachings of Jesus. High school is about personal decision-making, figuring out a worldview, identity and developing healthy relationships.

Gonzales said they recently introduced a framework to prevent bullying that encompasses everything from school leadership and the school environment to professional learning and the response to bullying.

The Archdiocese has a partnership with Gratia Plena to provide an immediate response to students who threaten self-harm and harm to others. The Archdiocese covers the cost of evaluations and assists when there is a need for continuous support.

“The numbers can be alarming,” Gonzales said. 

Catholic Charities has, for more than a decade, supported the Archdiocese’s CROSS Academies by providing free on-site counseling and mental health services. They include presentations for students on subjects such as bullying and self-esteem, individual counseling for students, and presentations and workshops for teachers and families. Their counselors also provide support and learning strategies for children with neuro-divergent challenges such as ADHD and autism. 

So far this year, 87 students received counseling services, up from 59 students last year.

“A lot of times, it’s the students learning about their feelings and how to manage their feelings in healthy ways,” said Stefani Mercado, lead clinician for Catholic Charities. 

Christus St. Mary’s Clinic also works with the CROSS Academies by providing medical care for mental health. 

The recent partnership with Smart Families to encourage parents to pledge they will wait until their children are in eighth grade before giving them a smartphone is catching fire. The nonprofit, founded by Brian and Jennifer Kuzma, works with families and schools to provide the tools to change the culture in their communities.

“The pledge creates a unified community at your school with common expectations for both children and parents,” Brian Kuzma said.

Since starting three years ago at St. Vincent de Paul, where Kuzma’s children go, Smart Families has worked with 46 schools this year, some in other cities, and will double that number next year.

Cepeda is thankful the Archdiocese is providing counselors who collaborate with the schools. Her son, now an eighth grader, is self-confident and thriving. 

“Their hard work and their concern for our children makes a great difference in their lives, also in our family and consequently in society,” Cepeda said. †