NRHS STUDENTS Lili Acuna (left, foreground) and Tyler Craig and Lindsay Keller (at right) gather around a picnic table to discuss mental health at Project Peace with Youth Services Director Jen Ford who runs the weekly program at North Parish Park. (Caroline Pecora Photo)

 

By CAROLINE PECORA

NORTH READING — In light of the pandemic, a mental health crisis has grown apparent among students and youth. Youth Services Director Jen Ford has made it her mission to make youth feel heard and accepted. “We can’t bring peace to anyone else until we’re sure we’re experiencing peace within ourselves,” she said.

Project Peace was launched in late June. The group was created with the intention of “creating a safe space” for children to just “sit and chat,” she said. Ford is a strong believer in mental health, which she finds a way to incorporate into nearly all her programming.

Even though COVID-19 has made organizing activities difficult, Ford recognizes the need now more than ever to focus on mental health. The sooner these uncomfortable conversations begin, the sooner the “negative stigma” around the discussion will disappear.

As previously published, North Reading High School 2021 graduate and honor essayist Margaret “Meg” Regan took her opportunity in the spotlight at commencement exercises to draw attention to this dilemma among youth. While Ford explains Project Peace was already in the works as a result of her extensive research, Regan’s speech gave her the momentum to get the program going.

Despite her hard work, Project Peace has been struggling with participant turnout. Through late July, no one had shown up for the hour-long sessions held on Monday evenings from 5 to 6 p.m. This is really disappointing to Ford because she knows there are individuals who would greatly benefit from it. Everyone needs someone to talk to and Project Peace seeks to be that place where youths will find a group of people who understand, listen and provide help.

This past Monday night, three high school students showed up to participate in the first August session.

Ford asks individuals who aren’t suffering with mental health issues to “take a step back” and notice the people around them. Then, simply check in with those who don’t seem well. “One small interaction can change someone’s life,” she believes.

Project Peace hopes to change the North Reading community by bringing awareness to the matter. Allowing yourself to have a mental health day is the perfect start. “Providing hope” to one another is the end goal. “I wish I could scream from the rooftops you are not alone,” she said.

Project Peace will continue to meet on Mondays throughout the rest of the summer from 5-6 p.m. at North Parish Park on Park Street. Although the target audience is youth, Ford encourages anyone to join the group. If you would like to attend, Ford can be contacted by email at jford@northreadingma.gov or by voice/text at 781-779-5091. Her final message reiterates her belief that “you are not alone and we hear you.”

How to sign up

Project Peace is open to students in grades 6 and above. The remaining sessions are Monday, Aug. 9, 16 and 23 from 5-6 p.m. at North Parish Park on Park Street.

All participants are encouraged to bring a towel/blanket/chair to sit on as well as a drink and snack. Local Board of Health regulations will be enforced. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a current YS Permission Slip and COVID Disclaimer submitted prior to the first session. These can be scanned directly to YS Director Jen Ford at jford@northreadingma.gov.

To register email jford@northreadingma.gov or or send a voice/text to 781-779-5091.

Caroline Pecora is a rising senior at North Reading High School. In school, she practices leadership skills in some of her favorite clubs, like Student Council, National Honor Society, Social Activism Club, and Ecoteam. These extracurriculars aid her in becoming an involved community member to North Reading. Outside of school, Caroline carries these leadership skills to her dance family at The Dancing School in North Reading, where she will be 2021-2022 co-captain. In the future, Caroline plans to study journalism in college in hopes of pursuing a career as a respected journalist.

Resources and citations

According to Mental Health America (https://mhanational.org/issues/2021/mental-health-america-youth-data):

• Number of youth who experienced at least one Major Depressive Episode in the past year in Mass. was 13.86% (67,000 in Mass., 479 in North Reading). A Major Depressive Episode (MDE) is defined as a period of two weeks or longer during which a person experiences certain symptoms of major depression: feelings of sadness and hopelessness, fatigue, weight gain or weight loss, changes in sleeping habits, loss of interest in activities, or thoughts of suicide. These symptoms are persistent and cannot be easily changed, even if they are contradictory to a person’s circumstances. (https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/major-depression/what-is-a-major-depressive-episode/)

• According to Census.gov in 2019 the population of North Reading was 15,865. Of that total, 21.8% (approximately 3,459) were under the age of 18.

• Number of youth who experienced Severe Major Depression in the past year in Mass. was 8.5% (40,000 in Mass., 294 in North Reading).

• Number of youth with MDE who did not receive treatment in the past year in Mass. was 61.2% (41,000 in Mass., 293 in North Reading)

• Number of youth with private insurance that did not cover mental or emotional problems in 2021 in Mass. was 1.2% (4,000 in Mass., 42 in North Reading)

Also according to Mental Health America (https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america):

• Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic youth ages 11 to 17 have been more likely than any other age group to score for moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.

• In September 2020, over half of 11- to 17-year-olds reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm more than half or nearly every day of the previous two weeks. From January to September 2020, 77,470 youth reported experiencing frequent suicidal ideation, including 27,980 LGBTQ+ youth.

Helplines

• NRPD Mental Health/Substance Abuse Clinician Laura Miranda: 978-357-5038 and lmiranda@nrpd.org.

• Samaritans: Call or text, anonymous, 24/7: 1-877-870-4673

• TrevorLifeline: Crisis intervention and suicide prevention 24/7 phone service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people under 25 years old: 1-866-488-7386. Folks can also text “START” to 678-678 to start a text conversation with this resource.

• Eliot Crisis Line: Eliot provides mobile psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention, stabilization and follow up for those in acute psychiatric distress: 1-800-988-1111.