Have you lost a loved one to a drug or illicit substance overdose? You are not alone. Preliminary data released by the CDC show that drug overdose deaths reached a record high of 93,331 in 2020. While these estimates are not final, this number is 20,000 deaths higher...
September is suicide prevention awareness month, yet suicide is a difficult subject to talk about. In recent years, headlines have reported celebrities' deaths by suicide bringing this topic to the forefront. When we hear that someone has died by suicide, whether it...
The Wellness & Prevention Center has been supporting families as they return back to school for five years, and there are some common concerns that we hear from teens, families, and educators each year. I have been in touch with administrators at our middle and...
You might notice that there are a lot of green ribbons during the month of May. May was designated Mental Health Awareness Month by Mental Health America in 1949, to bring attention to the 18.1% of Americans who experience the diseases of mental health. The majority...
Last month, I wrote about a few of the outstanding youth leaders in South Orange County. While profiling these youth, I took time to reflect on the qualities these youth have that help them follow their passions and make a difference in their communities. And even...
The Wellness & Prevention Center believes that empowering youth is key to successful prevention efforts and building healthy communities. In March, we honor the young people who choose to make a difference in the lives of their peers and community. From campus...
This will be a year that we want to forget, but unfortunately the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic will be with us for many years to come. A large portion of our population has suffered disproportionately from this crisis, and I applaud those who have found ways...
In 2018, 48,344 Americans died by suicide - an average of 132 per day. It is the leading cause of death for teens nationwide. The CDC announced that, in a survey conducted this spring, 1 in 4 young people ages 18-25 reported seriously considering suicide in the past...
I admit it - I am super tired of living in a pandemic. Thankfully, I am fairly well equipped physically, socially, and emotionally to deal with this situation. There are still many days when the seemingly never-ending uncertainty and inability to control what is going...
I recently lost a very close family friend to an accidental drug overdose. He is not the first, but I hope the work I do will ensure that he is the last. I have lost too many friends to mental illness and addiction. I can’t quite put my finger on the cause of this...