(Medicine Hat Public School Division/ Facebook)

By Tiffany Goodwein

How young people struggling with Mental

How young people struggling with Mental Health issues can seek help

Sep 5, 2020 | 6:42 PM

MEDICINE HAT– The community is mourning the loss of another individual to suicide. CHAT NEWS has learned that a young teen from the Medicine Hat Catholic School Division has died by suicide.

In a statement posted Friday the Medicine Hat Catholic School division said, “It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the loss of a young member of our MHCBE family. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the family and friends of the student and the entire school community,”

The death of a student to suicide has prompted school divisions across the region to urge students to reach out for help.

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In a video posted to Facebook, Prairie Rose School Division psychologist Greg Godard said he is hesitant to raise the alarm about the situation, citing the Iatrogenic effect or possibility that raising awareness may contribute to the situation. Godard instead encouraged people to reach out to each other during this time.

” We’ve been urged to socially distance for the past few months. We’ve been told to stay home, to avoid contact with people outside of our cohorts, but for decades developmental psychologists have been telling us that one of the most essential needs we have once we have all our food, shelter, and safety needs have been met, is social belonging, connectedness, love” he said.

” So I’m not sure if raising alarms about our mental health is actually good for our mental health. What I want to do is raise awareness of the need for us to come together, social connection,” he added.

Counseling services and Family school liaison workers will be available for students at MHPSD.

On Sept. 12. The Medicine Hat Counseling Collective will be hosting a healing circle for children impacted by suicide. Participants are asked to RSVP on their Facebook page.

AHS Mental Health and Addictions has extended its availability during the long weekend.

Additionally, Counselling Services and Family school liaison workers will be available for students at MHPSD.

A healing circle will also take place on Sept. 12. for children impacted by suicide. The event is run through the Medicine Hat Counselling Collective. Participants are asked to RSVP on their Facebook page.