Regional program supports children with struggling with mental health

Over in the NMI, a program under the Community Guidance Center seeks to launch a peer support group for parents of children experiencing mental health challenges. It's a dire need in a time of high anxiety, depression, and suicide rates. 

You are not alone. It's a message you hear often and one program under the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation's Community Guidance Center wants to put those words into action. After conducting a survey of patient needs, they're seeking to launch a a support group for parents of children experiencing mental health challenges. 

Philip Santos, Lead Family Coordinator, System of Care Program, Community Guidance Center, said, "I revisited this survey and I wanted to see what exactly our parents are looking for in terms of support groups. After going through several responses...they were looking for a traditional type of support group, one where they could come together with other parents, family members who have the same shares or lived experience which is parenting or providing care for children and youth who have these mental health challenges."

The system of care program is a mental health clinic and program under the Community Guidance Center. They typically provide support for youth up to 15 years old, but now they're shifting focus to those young people's parents. 

"They are looking for a group that is judgment free, confidential, and supportive, and they really place that emphasis of having to be with parents, family members, or caregivers, who are taking care of these children and youth with mental health challenges," added Santos.

The support group could take place online or in-person. "Right now, we are just looking for a venue which could accommodate our parents but we have been receiving some inquiries from our parents, we've been receiving calls as well and we do really believe that this is a need to provide that support for our families for the parents of the concerns we are seeing here at the system of care program," he shared.

It's a support group for those looking to support their closest loved ones. 

"The beauty of the model that we are using, it is advice free and judgment free. Often when we share something with someone we are not really looking for advice we really just want to be heard, especially for our parents, a lot of time when they open u to others...they'd be bombarded with advice...or maybe they would be judged by their community...the group we want to provide is free from those elements," he said.