If a recent orientation is any indication, it won’t be long before all the high schools in The Center for Counseling & Consultation’s service area are actively involved in the #Zero Reasons Why (#ZRW) campaign.
“We already have nine high schools participating and the other two are very interested,” said Julie Kramp, executive director of The Center. “I had hoped for this level of support and awareness. My hope wasn’t misplaced.”
#ZRW is a teen-led campaign to reduce teen suicide and emphasize that mental health is as important as physical health. The Center’s service territory is Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.
“The campaign so far has been very effective and I am eager to see what can be accomplished when more teenagers join in,” Kramp said. “When they learn what other schools have accomplished, we don’t have to beg them to get involved.”
More than 50 teens from the various schools participated in the orientation session.
“They learned about the history of #ZRW and how it works,” Kramp noted. “We also talked about how they can rally support at Banner Days, where teens can ask questions and pick up a release form for their parents to sign.”
A popular part of the orientation was a planned call to The Center’s Crisis Line.
The caller explained that a friend was self-harming and wondered how to help. The person answering the phone listened to the caller, who was quickly connected to the appropriate therapist.
“The therapist also showed concern for the caller because these types of calls aren’t easy to make,” Kramp noted. “The friend and caller were both connected to the resources they needed.”
Hoisington and Chase-Raymond high schools hosted the in-person part of the orientation for those who participated by Zoom. Other schools now actively involved are Great Bend, Ellinwood, Central Plains-Claflin, Larned, Lyons, Stafford and St. John.
The schools are at varying levels of participation. In some cases, dozens of teens are active, while in others, principals are just starting to talk with students and teachers about how #ZRW can best be implemented in their schools.
Three pillars
The three pillars of #ZRW are: remove the stigma of discussing mental-health issues; build community support; and commit to education.
“We want to enhance what the schools are already doing to encourage conversations about mental health,” Kramp said. “Parents and the business community will have the opportunity to discover #ZRW. This is not just a program; it is an ongoing campaign to educate the entire community.”
High schoolers are now talking about what projects they can tackle by the end of the school year and during the summer, along with their goals for next year.
The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.
