Dear readers,
Itap early for you to receive a newsletter from me, but this week I’m sending you a special edition of Checkup Denver to highlight recent stories The Denver Post has published related to mental health, a topic in the spotlight after schools in the metro area closed earlier this week following a potential threat.
If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide, call the Colorado Crisis Line at 1-844-493-8255.
Talking to kids about school violence
On Wednesday, schools across the Denver metro area closed as law enforcement officials searched for a Florida woman accused of making “credible threats” and who was allegedly “infatuated” with the Columbine High School shooting. The woman, Sol Pais, 18, was later found dead at the base of Mount Evans.
The school closures presented a challenge for parents who were tasked with explaining to their children why there were no classes.
I spoke with a child psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital Colorado about how parents should approach the issue. One of the first suggestions by Dr. Jennifer Hagman is that parents should both talk and listen to children about their concerns.
And one of the main points suggested by the National Association of School Psychologists is that parents reassure their children that they are safe, and to make sure the conversations are age-appropriate.
Read more about how to talk to kids about school violence.
A few more noteworthy stories:
- The death of Sol Pais, the 18-year-old who authorities say was infatuated with Columbine, highlights both the rise in teenagers and young adults killing themselves and the complexity of mental illness and mass shootings — or, in this case, potential threats of violence.
- Suicide is a reality teenagers face across Colorado and the number of youths harming themselves has increased. But teens say they struggle to find people to talk to as openly as they would like about mental health.
As I said last week, The Denver Post wants to hear from our readers about how youth suicide and mental health is affecting you. If you have a story you want to share, please fill out this form.
And if you have a story tip or other feedback, email me at jseaman@denverpost.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at .And don’t forget to become ato The Post!
See you next week — Jessica
