Thanks to this group for everything they are trying to accomplish!

Awareness and education, two very inportant aspects of reducing stigma around mental health issues but why not in schools? Melanie Warm, states in an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on 9-16-12, "The school is not the source to provide the information. Their job is to educate kids". From my standpoint this is wrong! Mental health education is critical in schools! The Norwood Young America school district went as far as saying that recognizing my son, Andrew Mulville in any manner at his would be high school graduation in May, would be wrong and could lead to other suicides.Therefore, the school did not even add his name to the graduation announcement. The "experts" in Carver County have supported this notion. The details of Andrew's death were publicized in newspapers and on tv stations before the family could even notify all family members, people knew the specific details. The community knew, we faced this loss as a community. The school not recognizing a child that died from a brain illness such as depression but recognizing children that have died in car accidents is discrimatory and leads to further stigma regarding mental health. What does the Consortium need to support: -Mental health awarness and education in schools! -Policy changes in schools to address suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. -Grants or funds used to provide educational materials in schools. -Training of school staff and social workers -Billboards in Carver County with numbers to call for help. -Bring presentations into schools, to address all students. -Support A-SAD: Anti-Stigma Awareness Day, 3/22. Building a united front that talking about mental health should not be shameful, in schools, churches, or to anyone. Education needs to be provided in schools by professionals/teachers-this is a serious topic and if the information is only provided by parents, many facts may be left out. Kids are not always talking to their parents, they talk to other kids at school in an enviroment where teachers can hear and see things going on. We strongly need this in our schools, not the opposite. Keep holding public meetings. Bring presentations into schools, to address all students.