LEAD to impact mental health education in Massachusetts
Leominster ChampionAug 17, 2017
Several years ago, a group of former Leominster High School students noticed that something critical was missing from their curriculum: Education on mental health. Given that teenagers are constantly exposed to stressors that can cause mental illness, it seemed imperative to these young students that they be taught about mental health and wellness in addition to their other core classes. They also discovered that there were no high schools in
These students, who are a part of Let's Empower, Advocate, and Do (LEAD), developed an innovative mental health curriculum to improve student wellness, academic performance, and early intervention in school districts called Mental Health Promotion (MHP). MHP is the Health Education supplement LEAD developed that incorporates all the information from Health class, while expanding on the mental health topics that affect students. As a part of the curriculum, students are taught using Mental Health first aid, newspaper articles, TED Talks, resources from nonprofit organizations, etc. It is a half-year course, similar to normal Health Education currently required by
I find that incorporating this type of coursework is critical for teenage students. The
I hope that with the passage of this bill, more high schools in
LEAD's mission is to provide educators, students, and organizations with training and curriculum to promote mental health education and well-being. For more information, please visit www.leadnow.org.