PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
mental health services. “Some
schools make space available
right next to the counselor, so
continued from Page A1 students know when that’s go-
ing. Some people make space
24 died by suicide in Marion available [in a different place]
County. The following year, every week so we’re bounced
that number jumped to 18 around.”
He continued: “We’ve
young people.
found
that in schools that
“People are afraid to ask the
make
a
consistent space avail-
questions and part of it is to
able,
everyone
knows the
say, you can ask the question,”
he said. “So it builds a little counselor is there and there’s
bit of confi dence and people better coordination of care.
need that. It's almost like peo- The one that the counselor has
ple need permission to ask the to show up and get bounced
question, ‘Can I talk to kids around, there’s less continuity
about suicide?’ The answer is of care because students don’t
always, yes, please talk to them, know where that person is.”
Getting the word out about
he said.
mental health
In addition
services
has
to staff train-
been
another
ings
around
challenge. Mc-
mental health
Nary is one of
and suicide, the
the schools be-
district is be-
ing served by
ginning to roll
an outpatient
out outpatient
therapist—but
therapy based
many students
in the school.
and
parents
The prior su-
—
Phil
Blea
at
the
school
per intendent
know
County supervisor for don’t
didn’t
allow
about
them.
youth
mental
health
outside mental
There’s pit-
services
health services
falls
at the in-
in schools, so
stitutional lev-
it’s only been in
el as well. The
the past few years that the dis-
district
leaves
communication
trict even considered in-school
mental health services for stu- about district mental health
initiatives to the discretion of
dents.
The district has partnered each building. “Some folks take
with Marion and Polk coun- fi ve minutes in a staff meeting,
ties, as well as the community some folks go in depth and
mental health provider Tril- talk for 45 minutes,” Fend-
lium Family Services to be- er said. “That’s an area where
gin placing part-time mental we’ve found that the infor-
health counselors in schools mation we’re sharing doesn’t
during the past academic year. get shared the same across all
It’s a newborn initia- buildings. So the communica-
tive. Twenty-seven out of 65 tion piece is something we’re
schools receive some kind of trying to fi gure out.”
The problem is, even when
support from a mental health
students
know about services,
counselor, and the district seeks
they’re
often
limited in scope.
to expand that number in the
Therapists
typically
serve mul-
coming years. Some schools
have been more receptive to tiple schools, only working
part-time at any given school,
the therapists than others.
“The hard part is, Sa- and can only serve students
lem-Keizer is a huge district. on the Oregon Health Plan.
Some schools value mental While the goal is to serve the
health more than others,” said “highest need” students, all
Phil Blea, Marion County’s students - even those on pri-
program supervisor for youth vate insurance - struggle to
get appropriate care, especially
when they can’t be seen by in-
school providers.
“There’s only so much we
can do as a school district to
connect them through their
private or commercial insur-
ance,” Fender said. “We can
steer parents in the right direc-
tion, but I’m going to be com-
pletely honest - there’s a six to
The Salem Alliance Church eight month wait list to receive
will be holding a event for therapy in this community.”
parents and kids on the
Other school districts have
harmful effects of social media. addressed the gap in service
The event is being hosted availability in different ways.
by a group of moms in the In Minnesota, a state that has
community who support been nationally recognized for
#SAVETHEKIDS.
its school-based mental health
Admission is free and this program, all therapists work
informational session will take in each school full time. This
place on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.
maximizes the effi cacy of the
A Spanish translator will be therapist, who becomes a fi x-
available.
ture in the school as much as
Collin Kartchner, a internet the school counselors. Work-
crusader and youth advocate, ing at an individual school
founded the organization and full-time allows the therapists
will be speaking at the church.
For more information on him
and the organization, visit
savethekids.us.
You can also visit the
Empowering Parents | Saving
Kids Facebook page.
TEENS,
S
DRIVE A LITTLE – SAVE A BUNCH!
3893 COMMERCIAL ST SE • SALEM
MORE INFO AT NORTHERNLIGHTSTHEATREPUB.COM
OPEN CAPTION SHOWING
Aladdin (PG)
Wednesday, Sept 25
SAT, SEPT 21
The Angry Birds
Movie 2 (PG)
11:00 AM
TICKETS ARE JUST $4
SPECIAL SHOWING FOR KIDS
AND ADULTS WITH AUTISM OR
OTHER SENSORY SENSITIVITIES.
6 PM, TICKETS ARE $4/EACH.
Special showing with captioning
shown on screen with the movie.
LIVE STAND UP COMEDY
Lights, Comedy, Laughs!
Saturday, October 12
CHARLIE WIENER & MONICA NEVI will
perform at 7pm and 9pm. Admission is only
$10. Ages 21 & over only. Reserved seating for
this show. Purchase tickets at box offi ce or at
our website.
Today in History
In a highly publicized “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match,
top women’s player Billie Jean King, 29, beats Bobby
Riggs, 55, a former No. 1 ranked men’s player. Riggs a
self-proclaimed male chauvinist, had boasted that women
were inferior, that they couldn’t handle the pressure of
the game. The match was witnessed by over 50 million
TV viewers worldwide. King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
King’s achievement not only helped legitimize women’s
professional tennis and female athletes, but it was seen as
a victory for women’s rights in general.
— September 20, 1973
Food 4 Thought
“Many, many times, the kids with the less talent become the
better athlete because they’re more dedicated to achieving
their full potential.”
— Red Auerbach, Boston Celtics coach, born Sept. 20, 1917
The Weeks Ahead
Through Sunday, September 28
Pentacle Theatre presents The Great American Trailer
Park Musical. This musical comedy contains explicit
language and adult themes. For showtimes and tickets
visit pentacletheatre.org.
Tuesday, September 24
Free admission all day at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700
State Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday, September 25
Free community dinner, 5 p.m., St. Edward Catholic
Church, 5303 River Rd. N. Facebook.com/keizer-
community-dinner.
Elsinore Theatre’s Wednesday Film Series presents Alfred
Hitchcock’s Vertigo, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is $6 or
$40 for 8 admissions.
Friday, September 26 — Saturday, October 12
Willamette University Theatre presents Men on Boats by
Jaclyn Backhaus. For more details visit willamette.edu/
arts/theatre.
Saturday, September 27 – Monday, September 30
Oregon Symphony, led by conductor Carlos Kalmar,
presents Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, with pianist Garrick
Ohlsson. The evening also includes Mozart’s Piano
Concerto No. 25. Visit www.orsymphonysalem.org to
purchase tickets and for more details.
Tuesday, October 1
Free admission all day at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700
State Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, October 5
McNary High School’s class of 1979 will hold their 40-year
reunion at the Keizer Civic Center. For more information,
go to mcnary79.net or email the reunion committee at
mcnaryclassof79@gmail.com.
Sunday, October 6
“Finding the Psalms in Our Hymns” a hymn festival led
by Dr. Carl P. Daw, a professor of theology at Boston
University. There will be a choir and brass ensemble
conducted by Paul Klemme. 4-5 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church, 1444 Liberty Street SE, Salem.
Wednesday, October 9
Elsinore Theatre’s Wednesday Film Series presents Alfred
Hitchcock’s Rope, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is $6 or
$40 for 8 admissions.
“Some
schools value
mental health
more than
others,”
PARENTS:
Info session
on youth and
social media
Friday, October 18 – Saturday, November 9
Pentacle theatre presents Mothers and Sons. Visit
pentacletheatre.org for more information about the play.
Wednesday, October 23
Psycho will be at the Elsinore Theatre for $6 a person at 2
p.m. and 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 9
Model train swap meet, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Rickreall Grange,
280 Main Street (Highway 99). Admission: $5 (under 12
free). 503-857-2108.
Add your event by e-mailing reporter@keizertimes.com
“[Students]
talking about
it isn’t the
issue, it’s if
they’re being
listened to,”
maze
looking
back in
the KT
Friday, October 11 – Sunday, November 3
Enlightened Theatrics presents The Rocky Horror Picture
Show. Visit the box offi ce or EnlightenedTheatrics.org for
tickets and more information.
Friday – Sunday, October 11 – 13 and
Friday – Sunday, October 18 – 20
Sorry, Wrong Number / The Hitchhiker, two one-
act plays by Lucille Fletcher. Staged reading at Keizer
Homegrown Theatre at the Keizer Cultural Center, 980
Chemawa Rd. N.E. Tickets are $10; free admission for
Oregon Trail card holders. Performances at 7 p.m. Fridays
and Saturdays; 2 p.m. on Sundays.Visit Facebook.com/
keizerhomegrowntheatre for more information.
When she visited a coun-
not only to see students in
treatment, but also to consult selor at her middle school, she
with school staff about navi- said, the counselor told her,
gating student mental health “‘I’m sorry. That sucks,’” Flint
concerns. Minnesota’s program said. “And just gave me a tissue
has mitigated the struggle with box”
That wasn’t helpful, she
insurance by contracting all
services to community pro- added.
So, when Flint got to high
viders with county support -
which means school therapists school, she tried to address
can see both kids on the state the need through student ac-
Medicaid insurance and those tion. But after several months
of trying to get the club off
on private insurance.
Offering services to a the ground, the effort fi zzled
broader swath of Salem-Keizer out. Students didn’t coalesce
youth is a goal, Fender said, but behind the club despite what
she sees as the glaring need for
it’s further into the future.
Even for students who do better mental health support.
Flint attributes the club’s
qualify for school-based help,
mental health needs can go be- lack of success, in part, to busy
yond therapy - some students students; one promising offi cer
need more intense interven- for the club, she said, had to
tion, others just a bit of pre- withdraw after getting hired at
an after-school job.
ventative support.
But she also sees a culture
When an initiative to ad-
dress other types of need crops that doesn’t create spaces for
up, it often encounters dead kids to talk about their mental
ends. The lack of funding is a health.
“People are scared to come
constant refrain, and even pro-
ductive initiatives are short- forward,” she said. “Depression
is this thing that makes you
lived as a result.
For the 2018 calendar year, want to isolate yourself.”
This means that kids need
the mental health provider Tril-
the adults to
lium received a
reach out to
grant to pro-
them,
Flint
vide preven-
said. As the
tion services
district survey
at Washington
found, that’s
and Brush Col-
often not hap-
lege elemen-
pening.
tary
schools,
Even
as
Crossler Mid-
the
district
dle
School,
institutes re-
and
McKay
forms—in-
High School.
cluding adding
According to
Chiharu Blatt,
— Brooklyn Flint mental health
director
of
McNary student resource infor-
mation to the
Trillium’s Wil-
back of student
lamette Valley
community services, the pre- identifi cation cards for the
vention grant created such ser- coming year—it’s clear the re-
vices as small skills groups for sponse lags far behind the need.
students, education and con- Reforms mean little without a
sultations for school staff and school culture that prioritizes
parents, and created a drop-in student mental wellness.
“The school is barely allow-
area for students to get advice
ing us in,” Blea said, referring
and referrals from a clinician.
But after the grant dried up, to county mental health ser-
so did the prevention services. vices. “They’re getting better.”
Mental health advocates
Another pervasive problem
is the ongoing stigma around join the kids in saying that all
mental health. Without a people who work with youth
school culture that recognizes need to take a more proactive
mental health concerns as real approach in reaching out to
and immediate problems for kids about their mental health.
youth, kids can’t get the sup- Blea describes mental health as
port they need. And many of a “hot potato” issue - some-
those who work with youth - thing that’s passed around be-
and the youth themselves - say cause no one wants to deal
kids are more and more open with it.
That needs to end, he said.
to talking about their needs, if
“It would be great to lean
they’re given a space to voice
into the problem versus lean-
them.
“[Students] talking about it ing out of the problem. So the
isn’t the issue, it’s if they’re be- families, schools, and commu-
ing listened to,” Brooklyn Flint, nity need to not be afraid of
talking to youth about men-
a junior at McNary, said.
Flint discovered how a tal health issues,” Blea said. “If
school’s culture can stifl e stu- we can get everybody to think
dent’s attempts to reach out. about what’s my role, how do I
During Flint’s freshman year get them help, where do I get
she tried to start a club to give the referral, the better it will
students a safe space when be.”
Next week, learn how
struggling with mental health
concerns. Flint saw the need LGBTQ+ youth are dispro-
for the club after coming up portionately impacted by mental
short for resources for her own health concerns.
depression.
5 YEARS AGO
3893 COMMERCIAL ST SE
THIS WEEK’S
MOVIE TIMES
Toy Story 4 (G)
Fri 12:20, 2:25, 4:20, 6:40,
Sat 11:15, 1:10, 3:05, 5:05,
Sun 12:00, 1:55, 3:50
Spiderman Extended Far From
Home (PG-13)
Fri 3:10, 6:15, 8:45,
Sat 2:45, 7:05, 9:25,
sun 12:50, 5:50, 8:15
The Kitchen (R) Sat 9:15
Angry Brids Movie 2 (PG)
Fri 4:40, Sat 12:50, Sun 3:15
Yesterday (PG-13)
Sat 5:30, Sun 5:10
Aladdin (PG)
Fri 12:45, 2:15, 5:50,
Sat 11:40, 2:05, 4:30, 6:55
Sun 2:15, 4:40
Rocketman (R) Fri 8:30
John Wick: Chapter 3 (R) Sat 7:45
Secret Life of Pets 2 (PG)
Sun 12:30, 7:05
Men in Black: Intn’l (PG-13)
Fri 8:20, Sun 7:25
FOR ALL SHOWTIMES GO TO
NORTHERNLIGHTSTHEATREPUB.COM
ServeFest
returns Sunday
For the sixth time, Lakepoint
Community Church is hosting
ServeFest, a ministry that
encourages Christians to “be
the church,” serving the needs
within the community.
10 YEARS AGO
Back on top
Volcanoes are the Northwest
League champions once again.
Maze by Jonathan Graf of Keizer
15 YEARS AGO
McNary Celts pitch
in to help ailing
teammate
The McNary football team
is offering players for hire
to do chores in exchange
for donations to help cover
teammate Nate VanSlochteren’s
medical expenses in a battle
with cancer.
20 YEARS AGO
Keizer test scores
add up to problems
in math
Students at every Keizer
school generally did better
on state tests in English but
showed dropping performance
in certain math tests.
sudoku
Enter digits
from 1-9 into
the blank
spaces. Every
row must
contain one
of each digit.
So must every
column, as
must every
3x3 square.