The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) is committed to supporting the mental health needs of our students. In partnership with mental health agencies in our community, we’re building a network of resources to ensure that our students have access to mental health information and supports. Our goal is to have a comprehensive, curated mental health website for our students and families that includes contacts for our local mental health partners. In addition, this website will include definitions and warning signs, book recommendations from the Livermore Public Library, videos and  podcasts chosen specifically to aid in opening dialogue and providing a path forward regarding mental health concerns. 

In support of the March 26, 2019 viewing and discussion of Angst at the Bankhead Theater, please visit our webpages entitled Anxiety and Mental Health Partners. As we continue to add content, similar resources will be provided for the following topics:

• Eating Disorders
• Grief and Loss
• Substance Use
• Suicide Prevention: Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Mental Health Awareness in Schools

According the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the start of many mental health conditions most often occurs in adolescence. Half of individuals living with mental illness experience onset by the age of 14. This number jumps to 75% by the age of 24. One in five youths live with a mental health condition, but less than half of these individuals receive needed services. Undiagnosed, untreated, or inadequately treated mental health conditions can affect a student’s ability to learn, grow, and develop.

Schools provide a unique opportunity to identify and treat mental health conditions by serving students where they already are. School personnel play an important role in identifying the early warning signs of an emerging mental health condition and in linking students with effective services and supports.

LVJUSD and the City of Livermore were awarded nearly half a million dollars through three federal grants to address mental health and school safety in the District. Two of the grants, paid over three years, primarily focus on mental health awareness training (MHAT) and the third on school violence prevention. All three grants seek to support the health and safety of students through additional community resources, extensive training for staff and families, and the development of a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) - an expansion of services already provided by the District’s Crisis Team.

Through these grants, LVJUSD will develop a network of resources through six community agencies - Axis Community Health, Horizons Family Counseling, Hume Center, Kaiser Permanente, La Familia, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Tri-Valley. A coordinated partnership with these agencies establishes a link within the District between students in need and the services that will help them. These grants fund the training of staff, students, and family members to recognize signs of mental illness in youth, and prepare them to respond safely and practice de-escalation strategies to ensure students receive the services and support they need. 

This website is one of the many resources that will be developed to support our students and families around mental health.