Change Oceanside School District stance on Mental Health!

Only sign this if you are part of the in Oceanside Community.

If you are an outside supporter and wish to help please sign this one instead: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/666/363/877/change-oceanside-school-district-stance-on-mental-health/

This is a petition for the Mental Health Initiative by El Camino High School. In light of events in the past few years - school shootings, student suicides, and skyrocketing rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses - We the students are advocating for better mental health resources in the Oceanside School District. If, like us, you or someone you know suffers from mental health issues, you can help prevent crises and improve our wellbeing of students by signing our petition. If you're passionate about our cause, we invite you to attend the OUSD School Board Meeting and wear green to show community on this issue as we present it the school board.

"The kindest of hearts have felt the most pain."
We have had many friends who have been to the edge of life and have never gotten a chance to formally be treated.
When our society tells all the boys to man up the masculinity roles, and that the girls are too dramatic when they open up to their "friends". When our culture has a stigma of going into therapy. When our problems are not yet big enough to tell a therapist but not small enough where a friend can handle it. When we may be alone and our own significant other, friend or even parents are against us in times; Who do we run to?

The high schools under OUSD strive to acquire:

1) Change District Policy
Both the district and El Camino High School don't have "Mental Health and Mental Health Education" as part of the policy.
They don't see the priority in having the issues be solved.
⅕ teens who consider suicide.
⅕ teens go through diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder.

2)Assign the Responsibility of SWPC
Assign the responsibility of "Student Wellness Policy Coordinator" (SWPC) to the Student Services Coordinator (currently Dr. Sparks)
The duties of the SWPC would ensure that each school site is developing its mental wellness resources, receiving updates from service providers, utilizing federal grants, and updating MOUs.

3)Social worker / Therapist
This position would provide students with way more resources! This position dedicated solely to mental health can provide services (with the help of interns) such as:
Counseling and Crisis Counseling
School-wide resource awareness campaigns
Recognize and help the "unnoticed population"
Parent - Student Mental Health preventative education
Mental Health workshops (coping skills, trigger avoidance, warnings signs)
Group and individual therapy
Maximize student & families connections to community resources
Reduce the stigma associated with mental health
Reassessment of students to ensure mental health is improving

4)Mental Health Education for teachers and students
Through a Non-Profit named HereNow there will be a in-depth look into our school body where people may be troubled.
This is all free of charge for our Oceanside School.

Here are all our sources : 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Fvpb6nh7_vcgbRj9IG3kIEHvoiNY47H5i0gKH_ZXlI/edit?usp=sharing
It includes people in the field we have talked to.

We strive to achieve a better school environment, encourage higher academic success, to possibly prevent school shootings, and to touch and improve the lives of the future of our community.


You can help by signing this petition or by visiting

Tuesday, April 16th
2111 Mission Ave, Oceanside, CA 92058