In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, Capital Area Human Service District (CAHSD), School-Based Services is sponsoring an anti-bullying education and outreach program throughout the week of May 2 in 26 schools in the seven parish region served by the agency.   

Students and teachers will receive information on how to identify a bully and how to address bullying behavior.  Each school site will have teachers and students sign a “no bullying” contract.  Students will also be asked to participate in “the end of bullying begins with ME” activity where students will make a chain link that symbolizes their participation in working together to eliminate bullying.  The link will be displayed throughout the school to show support in ending bullying behavior.

“It is crucial that everyone in the school community accepts their own responsibility toward ensuring that bullying is not perpetrated against anyone within in the school community," said Jan Kasofsky, Ph.D., CAHSD executive director.

Parishes and schools participating in the anti-bullying campaign include: East Baton Rouge Parish - Highland Elementary, Twin Oaks Elementary, La Belle Aire Elementary, Magnolia Woods Elementary, Melrose Lower and Upper Elementary, Howell Park Elementary, Kenilworth Middle, Capitol Middle, Broadmoor Middle, Park Forest Middle, Prescott Middle, Belaire High, and Park Ridge Elementary; Baker; West Baton Rouge Parish - Cohn Elementary and Port Allen Middle; Ascension Parish - Lowery Elementary and Intermediate, Gonzales Middle, Donaldsonville High, Dutchtown High and  East Ascension High; Iberville Parish - Crescent Elementary and Jr. High and Plaquemine High; West Feliciana Parish - Baines Elementary and West Feliciana Middle; East Feliciana Parish - Jackson School Complex; and in Pointe Coupee - Rosenwald Elementary.

As stated in the Surgeon General’s report, bullying is one of the top two issues kids face.

“According to kids' own reports, bullying and drugs are the major problems they have to deal with at school, but these often are not acknowledged by the adults in the school system," the report states. "A wide variety of school based programs are very effective in dealing with problems including drug use, bullying and peer relations, and competence/skill building.”

The CAHSD school-based therapy program offers clinical services for behavioral health problems in select schools, providing therapeutic interventions and medication management, focusing on reducing absenteeism, suspensions, expulsions and improving grades.

CAHSD is joining in National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day on May 3 as part of the SAMSHA advocacy program throughout the nation.