[Nike007]

Hello. So I saw the CYW for the last time until a year from now. Which sucks, but I feel better I did say goodbye. But she said that the school would have never dealt with people with mental illness one on one with her, but she pushed for it and after a year or so of her trying, they let her. But since she's leaving, the replacement person may ruin this part because its a "not official" role. Like, if the person doesn't care, the person I normally would see may have to redo what she fought for years ago. And it sucks. They find it more important to deal with LDs, ADHD, ODD, or things disrupting classes or people with bad grades than people who have severe anxiety or depression. The school only cares about academics. Which I guess comes in mind the question if the school should help this behaviour or not. School is suppose to be a place to learn, but what if MI impairs learning? What if someone can't get resources to help them outside of school? Maybe my opinion is bias, but I found it helpful to see someone one on one for half an hour a week. I felt less anxious and depressed, which would lead to better schooling. In Ontario, we have different school regions. So in my region, we do have social workers. Just two though for all the people in my region, which my region has more than 100 000 people in it. Not everyone needs it, but I can only see her every other week or once every three weeks. And you technically can't see a social worker at school for more than 6 times. I'm technically not suppose to see the social worker at my school anymore, but she knows that I'm at a pretty rough part so she's made an exception. But why can't they have a social worker per one to two school instead of like 50-100 schools? Mental illness isn't going to go away after 6 sessions. The point of it is so you can have strategies to get through school. They care if you do drugs or cyberbully outside of school, but why not mental illness? No offence, but many older teachers don't accept mental illness because it was a taboo thing back then. I'm not saying every older teacher is like that, but more than younger teachers. It's the stigma. Gah. And there are more than just me who have this issue. Anyone who has a MI has this issue too. Some people are worse than others on how they can handle school. Truth for me, if I didn't care about my marks as much, I would never go to school and sleep in. And I like seeing staff at the school who are nice about it.

Anyways, CYWs are sent to classrooms first, doing duties other people who aren't trained as a CYW can do (like scribing; anyone can scribe), and just watching a room with test students for crying out loud. They aren't using what they fully can. If there were, I'm sure the goal the school wants will be fulfilled better than before. Apparently the whole goal is for the school to help the students, but I don't feel helped if I'm pushed to the back. How is that helping? It's not. Apparently they are modifying something, not sure what though, the CYW didn't give me much details, but I'm hoping it's better than this.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

What is a CYW?

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by lolagrace

What is a CYW?

Child and youth worker.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

We don't have that designation in American schools so it is hard to know what their position officially is and what you are expecting. Is what you are wanting more private counseling time? In American schools that would only be provided through special education, and only in relation to school-related issues on a limited basis. More intensive, long-term counseling for more personal/general mental illness issues would be something that doesn't fall under the service descriptors for school-provided services. What we generally see here is a certain number of contact hours/week for school-related issues and families would provide their own private mental health services outside of school. Not sure if that is what you are describing though as the Canadian system is different.

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by lolagrace

We don't have that designation in American schools so it is hard to know what their position officially is and what you are expecting. Is what you are wanting more private counseling time? In American schools that would only be provided through special education, and only in relation to school-related issues on a limited basis. More intensive, long-term counseling for more personal/general mental illness issues would be something that doesn't fall under the service descriptors for school-provided services. What we generally see here is a certain number of contact hours/week for school-related issues and families would provide their own private mental health services outside of school. Not sure if that is what you are describing though as the Canadian system is different.

Well, I do have an IEP, which I guess you could count as special education? I mean, this person was through the special services department so it's already a limited option. I mean, the school deemed external disorders (like anger disorders) more important than internal because external distracts other kids and not just themselves. Again, it was a rant post, so I said maybe I asked too much, but when I looked up CYW, it came up as them talking to students one-on-one along with going to classrooms. My point is that a person trained to do something not only has to do things that is not part of what she was trained to do, but also not do things she was trained to do. It's kinda weird. It's a stigma thing though. Anyways, I feel better after ranting. Also, sorry for a late reply.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[Noca86]

I know that in Ontario you can see peer support workers, which are usually free. They are lower down on the ladder, and they have specific training and each have experienced their own mental illness in their lives. I don't know if they work with those under 18 though. I know that certain family doctors that work in a clinic may have a therapist or social worker on staff. That is the jackpot cause you can usually see those social workers or therapists for free on an ongoing basis indefinitely. I don't know what age you are, if you are talking about HS or what level of education you are in.

[Apanthropos]

I definitely get what you mean. Practically it feels the same over here at my school. Worst part is i'm probably in a worse state of mind then anyone else at school atm. Heck even the therapist I saw outside of school didn't think I needed it, but things have clearly changed. Luckily the school does have someone who works at my school to help the students there, but if I want to be better, id probably have to see him probably 5 times a week. Then again, they don't think I "need" it. I am now basically emotionally attached to basically everything. Even angrier, lonelier on this road to madness. Really great to hear that there is someone out there that I can relate to... Hard to find people my age these days that I can gladly say: "Hey, I get what you mean!" Glad I read this.