Positive mental health allows people to realize their full potential, cope with the stress of life, work productively and make meaningful contributions to their communities.  

Signs of possible mental health issues include, but are not limited to:

• Feeling of sadness, hopelessness or irritability
• Overly anxious or worried
• Scared and fearful; frequent nightmares
• Excessive anger
• Using alcohol or drugs
• Hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there
• Unable to concentrate, sit still, or focus attention 
• Talking about suicide or death
• Hurting other people or animals; damaging property 
• Major changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Loss of interest in friends or things usually enjoyed 
• Falling behind in school or earning lower grades
• Hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there
• Needing to wash, clean things, or perform certain rituals many times a day

Mental health and substance-use supports are available in every school building. Service is determined based on the student’s need and may include support from a school counselor, a student support specialist (S3), or a Syntero clinician. In addition, the district has substance-use specialists available to support students and families.

Students and families may always request help to access mental health and/or substance-use supports through the school counselor or through any school staff member. Refer to the school building staff directory for specific staff contact information.

DCS partners with the community to provide parent sessions and resources on many mental health topics. These offerings and resources are communicated through the DCS website, email, and social media. Additionally, parent workshop sessions will soon be marketed through our Dublin University (Dublin U) Community Engagement series. Your child’s school counselor or Syntero clinician can also assist you in finding resources.