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Schools

FHS Hopes to Provide Mental Help Options for Latino Students

Mental Health resources exist at Franklin High School for students with mental health issues, but not all families are ready to take advantage of them.

When Alejandra Mendoza’s son failed all of his classes last year she knew she needed to get help.

Mendoza reached out to teachers and administrators at .

“My son had depression,” she told a group of parents attending the English Learner Advisory Committee on Monday morning.

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Mendoza said she worked with the school’s mental health service department, teachers and administrators and encouraged them to connect with her son. A year later, he is passing all of his classes and he is active member of the school’s football team.

“We are a team,” said Rachel Badillo, the school’s psychological social worker. “We have to work together. There are many resources you can take advantage of.”

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Mendoza shared her story with the group of Latino parents in hopes that it would encourage others to utilize the mental health services provided by the school.

On Monday morning, the advisory committee did not have a quorum to vote on a range of topics including approving the parent involvement compact and a budget proposal. Instead, the monthly meeting turned into an informational meeting about mental health resources.

“I’m here to give you resources,” Badillo told the parents. “I’m an expert in mental health and I am here not only to help students with their grades but also to tackle other problems students may have.”

Los Angeles Unified School District's School Mental Health Service provides group and individual therapy, mental health consultation, conflict mediation and other services.

However, data shows that reaching out to the Latino community can be difficult, especially when its related to mental health issues.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, Latinos rely on extended family, community or churches for help during a crisis. As a result, thousands of Latinos with mental illness often go without professional mental health treatment.

For Mendoza, helping her son succeed in school was a lot more then just helping him with his homework, it meant helping him cope with his depression.
Now that he is succeeding in school, Mendoza wants other Latino parents to know about the resources available at Franklin.

“My son didn’t have any credits. We worked together hand in hand to help him succeed,” she said. “I could have never imagined that my son could be such a success… and we are connecting more like family.”

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