Kara McNamara

EDUC 705

Family Workshop Proposal

At Jordan-Matthews High School and in the Siler City community, there are a number of

individuals who are available to support students’ and their families’ needs, including mental

wellness needs. However, through both quantitative and qualitative methods, it has been

observed and found that many parents/guardians struggle to support their children and to feel

supported themselves when the child is going through a mental health crisis. Because of this

finding, the family workshop will be focused on providing information and resources and

creating a space for families to get connected with local health and community agencies.

Rationale

The seed of the idea for this workshop was planted in the late fall semester, when

students and the school counselors collaborated to create and administer a school climate survey,

which was taken by approximately 300 students (a third of the student body). The results of this

survey demonstrated that one-third of students see mental health concerns as a top issue facing

JMHS students (only stress and bullying surpassed mental health as a concern). The survey also

demonstrated that students felt counseling services and getting connected to local resources were

in the top five responses as to what would help make them feel supported. Echoing these results

to some degree is the spike in mental health-related referrals (particularly for suicidal ideation

and depression) that have been observed by the Student Services team in comparison to the last

four years. Finally, in fielding a number of phone calls from parents of students being referred

out for therapy or who have been hospitalized for depression, as well as speaking with students

who have expressed concerns that their parents don’t understand what they’re going through, this
informal qualitative research supports a workshop that will cover best practices and suggestions

for parents/guardians looking for information on mental health in teens, as well as connect them

to community organizations that focus on mental health and support for families.

Logistics

The workshop’s logistics are not yet finalized, as approval from administration and

confirmation from various partners in this endeavor are forthcoming. The tentative date for the

workshop is March 22nd at 5pm, a time chosen with working parents in mind. The tentative

location is El Vinculo Hispano, a local non-profit focused on empowering and supporting Latino

families in Siler City; the alternate location is Jordan-Matthews High School, in the Auditorium.

In terms of recruitment and marketing, the various community agencies involved will share the

information with their network once plans are finalized. I will create flyers, post announcements

on the digital boards at the school and on the list for the PA system, encourage invested students

to invite family members, as well as invite individuals who express interest in the topic (teachers,

other stakeholders). As for attendance incentives, I have secured $150-200 from Principal

Crayton to utilize to have food at the event. A Spanish translator will be interpreting the session.

Workshop Content

The workshop will be broken into various parts, with different speakers discussing their areas

of knowledge. I will present information at the beginning and end, will facilitate the transition

between sections of the presentation, and will facilitate a question-and-answer session at the end,

as well as planning and executing event logistics.

 Kara McNamara: Presenting on the rationale for the session, discussing the prevalence,

presentation, and developmental considerations of common mental health issues in teens.

 I will share information about the various personnel and programs in the school present to

support students with mental health concerns.

 El Vinculo Hispano (speaker will probably be Selina Lopez): Presenting on the available

resources offered through their organization, including translation services (verbal and

written) and support for families. They will also be able to share about their newly-

launched youth program that can provide a positive and culturally-responsive outlet for

teens.

 Chatham County Health Department (speaker will potentially be Anna Stormzand):

Presenting on resources and trainings available through the health department and other

community health-related agencies in Siler City. This is particularly relevant because the

health department provides low-cost, confidential services for students (and their

families) across the street from the high school.

 El Futuro (unconfirmed): Presenting on the mental health services available at the

agency, where every therapist is bilingual. This is beneficial to the cultural aspect of

mental health.

 Kara McNamara: Presenting on how parents can speak to their children about mental

health and about how the various school and community resources can be a support to

them. I will also facilitate a Q & A session.

Evaluation Plan

At the end of the session, a survey will be administered to all attendees to get at the

helpfulness and applicability of the information presented; the survey will be used to steer future

family workshops. Qualitative research will also be employed to evaluate the efficacy of the

session by interviewing the other presenters and a select number of attendees.