SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH ROUNDTABLE

On Friday, May 19, 2023, Cicero District 99 partnered with Sustainable Mental Wellness, Inc. to host its seventh mental health roundtable — this time, centered on meeting with educators and mental health professionals throughout the region on the importance of addressing the various types of trauma students and staff can face. 

“In the 21st-century, educators have truly pivoted much energy into focusing on the ‘whole child’ learning experience — and understanding the value of restorative practices and the effects trauma can have on a child is key to truly educating the whole child,” said Dr. Jack Rein, District 99’s director of Multi-Tier Systems of Support, or MTSS. “Through the School Based Mental Health Roundtable, we offer our communities an opportunity to grow from one another and can share what different school districts and community resources are doing to support students and staff.”

The program featured discussions on topics surrounding mental health and the various types of trauma one can face, whether in the home, at school, in one’s community or culturally. Through discussing and understanding restorative practices from a trauma lens, the goal was for attendees to walk away with a clearer picture of how to implement best practices through guide points provided by area educational and mental-health professionals.

"Through our collaborative approach we want participants to feel a renewed sense of commitment to themselves as educators and mental health providers and to their school or

organizational communities,” explained Amanda S. Norris, M.A., president and founder of Sustainable Mental Wellness, Inc.

In addition to roundtable discussions, the program featured small group discussion circles and networking opportunities.

Sustainable Mental Wellness, Inc. helps educational and corporate leaders focus on their people, planet, and prosperity. We do this by providing practical, palatable, and sustainable strategies for mental wellness that help their people cultivate personal growth and community. By illuminating the reciprocal link between the individual and their environment, we focus on achieving sustainability on individual, interpersonal, local, and global scales.