Schools in Philadelphia struggle with providing mental health staff
By: Morgan Loper & Maysa Loper
April 3, 2024Mobile therapist Louis Rosen comes to Caver every Tuesday and Thursday with a list of clients to help them reduce anxiety, coping skills if they feel depressed, studying methods, and how to pay attention in class.
“I think that I have helped students in a lot of ways reduce anxiety sometimes,” Rosen said. “Sometimes helps them with coping skills when they’re feeling depressed and then more on the academic side. I’ve helped students kind of figure out studying methods and kind of methods to focus and pay attention in class, so it can be academic and mental health that I’ve helped students.”
One of STEP memeber's Mr. Sanchez proudly stands in front of the counselor suites
Kevin Sanchez, STEP Case manager, thinks that If students have a mentor they will become more successful in life. His STEP program allows students to get different perspectives on what and what not to do in life so that they can go a lot further in life.
“If you have a mentor, regardless of who it is, you’re going to go a lot further in life because you’re going to have that perspective on what to do and what not to do and how to be successful,” Sanchez said.
A student of class 2024 at Carver gives us more insight on why it's important to have a mental health crew and also why it's important to talk to them.
Khalif, a Carver student has been impacted by the staff they have helped him navigate his social life and develop different traits.
“They’ve helped me a lot in terms of like navigating social life, and different problems that come with having a social life and different problems that just come with like having traits of a superhero,” Khalif said.
The Carver Mental Health Staff may be able to help you in more ways than you think.
“Talking to the staff is going to help you in a way that you probably didn't think you needed help, but you definitely did need help,” said Khalif
A lot of students don't feel comfortable talking to the staff about their problems but you might be surprised about how it makes you feel.
“Some people do not want to talk to people and you have to respect how they feel, but at the same time, if its because they feel uncomfortable but maybe part of them does want to talk to somebody who listens and doesn't judge and that if they try it out, maybe it actually surprised them how it feels,” Louis Rosen said.
There is wall in the school hallways that guides students get into a healthy mindset
Even if you don't feel comfortable talking to staff at school talk to anyone that you feel comfortable with.
“It's important for our kids to talk to the staff or talk to people in general because I think our kids go through a lot so I think having support at the school who they feel uncomfortable talking to is always positive and good for the students,” said Sanchez
At Carver, we will be losing two of our social workers this may impact some of our student’s mental health because they won't have their go-to person to talk to about their feelings. But even if you don´t have a go-to person to talk to it will always help if you are just a close friend or someone that you feel comfortable with to help you with things that you didn´t know you needed help with.
Losing staff members can impact students but if you still have other people you feel comfortable with you will be able to help in different ways.