Teen mental health: Issues have reached a crisis level in the foothills

Many teenagers are in crisis — their mental health is in jeopardy because of the stress on them to succeed, to navigate the world and to deal with peer pressure.

Tragically, sometimes the pressure can lead to suicide.

The Canyon Courier is doing a deep dive into teen mental health in the foothills and how it can lead to kids hurting themselves or possibly suicide — with the number of suicides among young people continuing to increase each year.

This week, we look at the issues teens face on a daily basis. Next week, we look at the programs being implemented to help ease students’ stress and keep them from harming themselves.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/teen-menta...isis-level-foothills
By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:38 pm (Updated: December 5, 4:24 pm)

Teen mental health: Family, friends still coming to grips with the passing of tenderhearted teen Mattison McLaurin

Mattison McLaurin loved robotics, his truck and his dog Shadow.

The Evergreen High School senior was goofy, his sister Corynn’s best friend, his mother’s world — and people used the word tenderhearted often when speaking of him. He loved music, art and poetry.

But he also had issues: growing up in a military family that moved around a lot, making it difficult to make connections with others; his dad was away for long periods of time in service to the country; some learning issues; social anxiety; mental health issues; being bullied.

He also was friends with Kendrick Castillo, who was killed in the shooting at STEM School in Highlands Ranch in May, and that incident took its toll.

On Oct. 28, Matti took his own life, and the community came out to support him and his family, including a candlelight vigil along Main Street in downtown Evergreen.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/teen-menta...ed-teen-mattison-mcl
By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:42 pm (Updated: December 5, 4:29 pm)

Teen mental health: Transgender teen speaking out about anxiety, issues he faced

Sam McIntosh knows about the stresses of being a teenager more than most teenagers.

The 19-year-old graduated from Evergreen High School in May, and in addition to the usual stressors on a high school student, he faced the consequences of explaining to his family and friends that he is transgender. He’s in the process of transitioning from female to male.

McIntosh said the anxiety of trying to understand how he was feeling and then making the decision to tell everyone made him suicidal off and on for years.

He now speaks to groups through Denver Health about his transition and issues that transgender teens face.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/teen-menta...iety-issues-he-faced
By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:51 pm (Updated: December 5, 4:28 pm)

Teen Mental Health: Organizations stepping up to provide resources, support

Editor’s Note: The Canyon Courier is doing a deep dive into teen mental health in the foothills and how it can lead to kids hurting themselves or possibly suicide. This week, we look at the programs being implemented to help ease students’ stress and keep them from harming themselves. Last week, we looked at the issues teens face on a daily basis.

When a teenager jumped off a bridge in Evergreen two years ago, Heather Aberg and a group of community members began meeting to figure out what could be done to ensure kids receive the support they need.

“I couldn’t not do anything,” Aberg said.

Out of this need to help, Resilience 1220 launched. The nonprofit organization, headed by Aberg, provides free counseling services to youth ages 12 to 20 in the mountain communities west of Denver.

And Resilience 1220 is not the only one. Across the mountain area, and Jefferson County in general, people are standing up to say they’ve had enough. Kids are struggling, and something must be done.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/teen-menta...de-resources-support
By Deborah Swearingen
Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Teen Mental Health: Jeffco Schools committed to providing mental health support

On a Friday afternoon in early December, students in Evergreen Middle School classrooms take a moment to connect with one another. They breathe in deeply. They discuss ways in which they’ve expressed generosity and how generosity can benefit their overall mental health.

The monthly program is part of Sources of Strength, a national suicide prevention program that is peer led and focuses on eight pillars: mental health, family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality and medical access. It’s just one of the ways schools across Jefferson County are providing tools to students to help them build resiliency, develop coping skills and foster mental wellbeing.

Students may be struggling more than ever, but Jeffco Public Schools, which serves some 86,000 students across the county, is developing evidence-based approaches in prevention, intervention and postvention. It’s also coordinating mental health trainings and hiring social emotional supports for schools.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/teen-menta...ental-health-support
By Deborah Swearingen
Tuesday, December 10, 2019