Raising Awareness: Ending the Silence.

Speakers from National Alliance on Mental Illness ran an evidence-based, 50-minute mental health awareness program for Rebecca Archer’s BHS health classes. The presentation is unique in its "two-leader" model: it pairs a lead facilitator who provides clinical facts and warning signs with a young adult speaker who shares their personal journey of recovery.

The speakers included: Chris Guar, who has been serving in several NAMI Westchester and NAMI Putnam for over 10 years. He is a trained NAMI Connection peer facilitator, Ending the Silence Lead/Young Adult Presenter, Faithnet, and Peer to Peer mentor; Todd Matthews, who is a community and faith leader and longtime advocate for mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and disability inclusion. He serves on the board of NAMI Putnam and is a certified presenter for NAMI’s Ending the Silence program; and Lucille Ettere, who is a community volunteer for various non-profit organizations who share a mission of educating, advocating and supporting mental wellness. She is a member of the Putnam County Suicide Task Force, serves on the board of NAMI Putnam, volunteers for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and created The Nicole Ettere Memorial Gardens Foundation, a non-profit that supports suicide loss survivors by building gardens of hope and healing and providing support groups for loss survivors.

Students were able to ask questions to gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic. By putting a human face to mental illness, the program empowers students to recognize the symptoms of mental health conditions in themselves or their peers and provides a clear "how-to" for seeking help. Research shows the program is highly effective in reducing stigma and increasing the likelihood that students will reach out to a trusted adult when in need. Thank you to Chris Guar, Todd Matthews and Lucille Ettere for bringing this important program to BHS students and raising awareness.